Water efficient landscaping?

Question

we are getting a new school and we need to research about it to make it a greenschool it's really dumb but i chose "water efficient landscaping" can someone help me with some things about it

Answer 1

Landscape irrigation accounts for 30 percent of our domestic water use.

Lawn grasses are not only major water hogs, but they're also responsible for a lot of the pollution that enters our air and water. Consider all of the weed killers, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers that are dumped on the typical American lawn. On top of that, there are gas powered lawn mowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers that spew pollutants and add to our air quality problems.

A better plan is to figure out how much lawn you really need. Some municipalities and homeowner's associations require homeowners to have a lawn, especially in the front yard. If you are able to, consider removing the lawn (or not installing one in the first place) and using perennials, annuals, shrubs and trees to green your yard instead. For an alternative to grass, there are several groundcovers that do a great job, such as creeping thyme, isotoma and pratia. Remove as much lawn as you can, and replace it with flower, vegetable, or herb gardens, seating areas, or trees.

If you decide to keep the lawn, consider the fact that you don't necessarily have to keep it emerald green. Many cool-season grasses, such as perennial ryegrass, fescues, and Kentucky bluegrass naturally go dormant in heat and drought conditions, and green up again beautifully once the weather changes.

Fresh Water Facts

Fresh water is becoming scarce. Water levels in the three upper Great Lakes have fallen at an alarming rate over the last nine years.

Ground water, which provides drinking water for 97% of the nation's rural homes, is becoming increasingly polluted.

The Southwest is already experiencing water shortages due to a booming population.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey

websites with this and more info below

Answer 2

You might like to know the word "xeriscape" for your research.  "Xeri" means "without water."  

Xeriscaping is the designing and planting of a landscape that does not mean water.  You didn't say what state you live in, but just because it is "without water" does not automatically mean all you can plant are cactus.  Plants native to your area, do not need extra water.  They do fine with what they recieve from the rainfall.  

So if you live in the Pacific Northwest, you can have very lush plantings, with evergreens, rhodadendrons, ferns, ivy, and such.  If you live in Arizona, then you are talking about cactus, a few grasses, and very thrifty plantings.

Tyr a google search with "xeriscape (& your states name here)"  That will probably bring up some good information for you.

Here are a couple of links to basic xeriscape information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscape

http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/x...

Good luck!

~Garnet

Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 3

Be sure to use plants that are native to your area.

Answer 4

See if you can get some books on Permaculture, or preferably get someone to come to your school to run a training session.

basically first consider what resources you have - rainfall, waterbutts, ponds, soil, drainage, organic matter, aspect (orientation to sun & wind).

then find out who might use the space and what they would like: what do they want to do in the space (football, drama/concerts, parties), what plants & animals they would like to see, what crops might they like (eg apples, bamboo canes, bio-fuels)

lThen ook at local plants adapted to survive in your conditions, and note any relationships between them and where they grow and see how they can be used in your space to meet the needs identifed.

Answer 5

Get a book called the Permaculture designers manual by Bill Mollison

the concept is called water harvesting .

Normally a piece of land has compacted (hard)ground slightly convex with all shapes with natural gutter or run offs caused by the rain.even after a heavy rain you will see ,when you dig in ,that only the first few centimeters are wet .

the ground does not absorb the water.

So when it rains the water runs over the ground and is quickly gone

The idea is to turn the ground into a sponge that absorbs and hold ALL of the water that falls on it .

This is called zero Run off.

And we achieve this by terracing all slopes ,or create horizontal barriers by planting bushes in lines along contours.

MULCHING

Softening the ground by mulching,which putting on a cover of organic material .

this keeps the ground moist (water conservation) develops worms ,which burrow up and down that aerate the soil,

And protects the surface from rain impact (which compacts the soil) as well as the drying out by the sun ,then wind and water erosion (when it has become dust).

BIO SWALES,dry dams etc.

The idea is  to re direct the water flowing over the ground INTO  the ground using swales

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

and dry dams as well as dams that hold water all year round

The water that runs over the  ground is gone in minutes ,but when it s redirected into the ground ,takes months to move along ,and so it is held with in the property.(but unseen)

So we dig a lot of canals that collect the water and lead these in to holes or dams ,if they hold the water is not important

Because what they leak ,leaks in to the soils ,and there it will be  for a very long time.

The more holes the better

I always build all of my roads or pathways first,(and they are high and dry) in circles or oval shapes that form the edges of lower plots in the centers ,

like a lunar land scape

You can now imagine how much water will be contained in the heaviest rainfall.

If your land is in a very arid place and deep sandy ground ,like a dessert ,you can dig deep plots (always bowel shaped ,)line them with plastic ,plastic carrier bags from the shop that have plied up for example) return the soil ad manure and compost ,and you got a water retaining plot by the end of it ,the plastic stopping the water from sinking too low for the roots to get at.

Have gutters along side the paths ,(Use the ground to raise the paths )

with inter connecting canals (make bridges or use pipes to cross over the paths)so that the excesses flow on, .onto a dam at the lowest part of the property,

If the property is large have several dams at regular intervals

If the dams contain the water all year round put in fish and a variety of aquatic plants ,fish shrimps frogs etc ,to stop them from becoming bre4eding paces for mosquito`s.

Even the smallest cement ponds in my garden have fish in them for that reason.

general note on Water harvesting

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Use drip irrigation this being the most economic and has the least evaporation especially if your plots are all mulched.

Plant wind breaks to stop the wind from drying out the place as well more scattered trees to provide partial shade from the sun.

check my page http://byderule.multiply.com/journal/ite...

for more ideas ,under Design and Water

this is the main page,http://byderule.multiply.com/

Also from any buildings ,separate the Grey waters (bath,sinks,) from the sewage or black water ,and lead them straight in to the grounds

For the Kitchen sinks you may need a grease trap ,(which is very simple to make ,

The sewage or black water you can also lead into the land via a cistern with  2 compartments a connecting opening at the bottom of the dividing (solid)wall with an overflow into a long ditch filled with stones (French drain) which is covered with plastic or something and then soil with trees on top

a system like that with the cistern of 2 cubic meters can handle 5 or more toilets at a time (.more toilets bigger cistern.)

You now occupy all second hand water as part of the concept water conservation .

No water that gets in is wasted or lost .

as well as using what you irrigate with economically.

You can go one step further and connect the sink water to the toilet ,so that after you wash your hands it is used to flush the toilet.

But everything ends up in the land any way so ,

what me worry.

Answer 6

I am thinking that Water Efficient Landscaping means the school wants ideas on how to conserve water on the grounds.  That is great!

One thing to consider would be the use of soil amendments that conserve water.  (A soil amendment is something you add to the dirt to change it in some way.)  The best one that I am aware of is called "Pozzolan" or "Lassenite ATS".  This is an all natural product that will hold water in the soil and release it as needed back to the plants (or grass, trees, etc.).  Using this product will help the school save on water and on fertilizers.  It is already being used in the Middle East to grow grass in the desert.  Studies show that it will reduce water use by 35 to 50%.  

Good luck with your research!