Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District Water Conservation Audit Winter temperatures, we have, winter rains, where are you!?! During 2013, much like 2012, our average rainfall hovered around 32” District-wide. Unfortunately, most of this was received during sporadic weather events throughout the year. Case in point, we received ten inches of rain over Memorial Day weekend. While every drop is welcome, high rainfall within such a short timeframe results in much of that rain running off into our streams and rivers providing little to recharge our aquifers. Please bear this in mind as winter winds down and you begin spring planting and yard care. Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District (TGRGCD) would like to ask for your continued help in reducing demand on groundwater resources. We offer a free on-site consultation to identify problem areas that could be resulting in higher water usage to home or business owners residing within our District. Following the visit, we offer recommendations to help reduce water usage both inside and outside the home and a “goody” bag full of conservation-related items, including a hose timer, moisture meter, and low-flow showerhead. Even without an in-home audit, there are several steps we would like to encourage you to take to help conserve water. •
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If you have not already done so, turn your irrigation system off for the winter and take some time to inspect your system. Check all sprinkler heads and replace any damaged heads. Reassess your irrigation schedule. Until temperatures really start warming up (May/June) you may only need to water every 2-3 weeks. This is especially true if you have shaded areas. Use a moisture meter to determine areas that may need more or less water and adjust your irrigation cycles accordingly. Keep in mind that overwatering can actually weaken your lawn’s root system. If you did not mulch those landscape beds back in the fall, now is the time! While mulching serves to protect your landscape from winter’s cold temperatures, it also reduces moisture loss from the soil which can allow you to shorten the irrigation time for these zones. Another option is to consider using drip irrigation in these areas. Consider replacing any plants you may have lost this winter, or last summer due to the drought, with our hardy, beautiful native plants, shrubs, and trees! Once established, not only will they need less water and little to no pesticides, but they can draw desirable birds, butterflies, and other pollinators to your yard.
You are welcome and encouraged to contact us at 210-6981155 if you have any questions, or to schedule a free in-home audit! To learn more about Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District, please visit us at www.trinityglenrose.com.
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Rainwater Harvesting The Stone Oak Property Owners Association is working in conjunction with the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District, SAWS, and the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension to provide Stone Oak residential and commercial property owners with the tools and information needed to effectively engage in rainwater harvesting. In this time of heightened water conservation efforts across San Antonio, we feel we have a responsibility to our property owners to investigate all areas of conservation. Rainwater harvesting may be a new concept to some, but it has been around for centuriesdating back to the third century BC. Captured rainwater can be used for irrigation purposes, for livestock, for drinking water or for other potable uses. This process is beneficial to us since it reduces the demand on our water supply and reduces land erosion. The best part? A rainwater cachement system can save you money! Systems can be very simple or very complex. You can have a rain barrel to capture water off your back porch, while a neighboring commercial property might have a roof capturing system that utilizes roof run-off or even A/C condensation. The goal of this collaboration is to gather ideas and information to pass along to you, and to assist you in determining the potential benefits of your capturing rainwater including the rebates and grants that may be available to you. Please continue to watch for further information both in this newsletter, and on our new website, www. stoneoakpoa.com under the “Aesthetics Update” tab. We thank SAWS, the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District, and the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension for their participation in this endeavor.