A presentation given at the annual meeting of the American Planning Association, Utah Chapter. This presentation illustrates the need for water conservation districts and municipalities to work together to ensure that water supply planning is part of the community development process at every level. The presentation includes some basic design changes we can all encourage that improve efficiency without sacrificing the quality of our shared landscape experience. Additionally, it encourages adoption of ordinances which support conservation- with particular emphasis on parkstrips.

2. PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES
• Describe the circumstances Utah is facing with a growing
population and limited water supply.
• Expand integration of water and land use planning
• Foster support for sustainable landscape practices that are
designed for our region.
• Encourage adoption of regulations and ordinances to
increase water use efficiency and reuse.
• Develop partnerships to promote conservation programs
and practices.

3. NEED FOR PARTNERSHIPS
Source: Utah Foundation Report, “Flowing Toward 2050”, September 2014
“State and water conservancy districts should continue to strongly
encourage municipal governments to create or update existing
ordinances that support conservation. Although education programs
are important, they aren’t enough.”
“Establish better connections between city planning departments
and water conservation districts. Development of communities and
a continued supply of water are too closely linked to be planned
without one another.”

4. Jordan Valley Water’s service
area encompasses much of
the Salt Lake Valley,
including the most rapidly-
growing areas in the state.
Sources of water include the
Provo, Weber and Duchesne
rivers, groundwater, and
local mountain streams.
JORDAN
VALLEY WATER
CONSERVANCY
DISTRICT

5. 88.7%
4.5%
0.8%
1.1%
2.2%
3.8%
Natural Environment/
Groundwater Recharge
Agricultural Depletions
Municipal & Industrial
Depletions
Potential Developable
Supply
Wetlands/Reservoir
Depletions
Net Outflow (includes
flow to GSL)
Diverted
Water
Source: Utah Division of Water Resources

6. 82%
4%
6%
8% Agriculture
Residential
indoor use
Residential
outdoor use
Commercial,
industrial,
institutional

7. UTAH’S POPULATION GROWTH
Source:
Governor’s Office
of Management
and Budget
-
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
168 years 45 years

9. Source: Utah
Division of
Water
Resources
Water systems
experiencing
water
shortages

10. PAST PLANNING HAS BENFITTED UTAH
Extent of State Shortages Likely over the Next Decade under Average Water Conditions, 2013
(U.S. Government Accountability Office)

11. Protect what we have
• Repair and replacement of existing infrastructure
• Watershed and water source protection
Use it wisely
Water conservation – efficient use of a precious resource
Provide for the future
New water sources and development of new infrastructure

12. PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE: AGING INFRASTRUCTURE
• Dams
• Treatment plants
• Power plants
• Reservoirs
• Thousands of miles of canals,
• Pipelines & tunnels
Our infrastructure supports $5.4 trillion in economic activity
Anticipated statewide infrastructure
replacement cost through 2060:
$18 BILLION

13. USE IT WISELY
The state of Utah has set a goal to reduce water consumption by 25% by 2025.
Proposed Conservation Tools:
• Water efficient landscapes –
City Ordinances
Park strips
Commercial and residential
• Advanced Metering Infrastructure
(AMI)
• Secondary water use metering
• Conservation pricing structure
• Wastewater recycling

14. PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE
New water supplies and infrastructure will be vital.
Conservation will delay future water
development, but expected population
growth will eventually drive the need
for new supplies.
Bear River
220,000 AF
59%
Other
64,000 AF
18%
Colorado River
86,000 AF
23%
Anticipated new statewide
infrastructure cost through 2060:
$15 BILLION

15. WATERWISE DESIGN BASICS
Cynthia Bee, Outreach Coordinator, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

16. Waterwise Landscape “Zeroscape”
WATERWISE DOES NOT MEAN “ZEROSCAPE”

17. GREEN THE BEAN

19. Design + Photo Credit: Kikuchi + Kankel Design Group
DESIGN MATTERS
Contrasting positive spaces (filled with plants) and negative spaces (open gravel or lawn) are the key!

20. Whenever possible, avoid
sprinker boxes, trees or any
obstructions in turf areas.
Lowers maintenance and
improves irrigation efficiency.
Negative or
“Open” spaces
Positive or “Planted” spaces
COMMERCIAL DESIGN: LAWN IS AN ACCENT- NOT A GROUNDCOVER
Bingham Junction Development, Midvale, Utah

21. 15 foot
front
setback
LAWNLESS COMMERCIAL DESIGN

22. PLANTED FRONTAGES
DRAW ATTENTION
Gorgeous plantings in
the frontages draw
attention to
businesses- without
drawing eyeballs
away from street
level.
TIP:
Dense plantings hide
imperfect
maintenance!
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Taylorsville, Utah

23. CREATE GATHERING SPACES IN LIEU OF LAWN
Gathering Plaza at Savage Construction Office Building, Midvale, Utah

24. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS & ORDINANCES
Courtney Brown, Conservation Programs Manager, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

25. PER
CAPITA
USAGE
Actual Water
Use (blue)
Compared with
Goal (red)

26. RESIDENTIAL DEMAND
Sources: DWRe Municipal and Industrial Water Supply and Use Studies Summary, 2005
DWRe Municipal and Industrial Water Use in Utah Report, 2010

27. LANDSCAPE LEADERSHIP
Grant funding for high-profile
conversions of lawn to waterwise
landscaping.

28. QUALIFIED WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPER (QWEL)

29. ELIMINATE GRASS AND/OR OVERHEAD SPRAY IN PARKSTRIPS COMMUNITY-WIDE
Huge benefits to eliminating
lawn in parkstrips:
• Reduce negative impact of
overspray on asphalt &
infrastructure.
• Conserves water.
• More attractive, diverse
landscapes.
• Creates sense of separation
from roadways.
• Waterwise landscapes fare
better during droughts.

30. PLANTED PARKSTRIPS
TYPICAL GRASS PARKSTRIPWATERWISE PLANTED PARKSTRIP
Or HERE?

31. PARKSTRIP EXAMPLES

32. MODEL ORDINANCE HIGHLIGHTS:
Colorado Model Ordinance:
http://Colorado.gov
• Drip irrigation required in all shrub
beds, residential + commercial.
• 4” deep mulch required for all
commercial project shrub beds.
• Lawn is not allowed in parkstrips
narrower than 8 feet.
• All systems shall be equipped with
an automatic rain shut-off device.
• Minimum width of turf irrigated with sprinklers
is 10 feet. Narrower areas must be watered
with subsurface drip irrigation.
• Turf limits changed from 33% of total area to
25% in residential settings.
• No new turf in non-residential areas unless it
qualifies as a Special Landscape Area or is
watered with recycled water.
• Flow sensors are required
California UPDATED Model Ordinance:
http://www.water.ca.gov/wateruseefficiency

33. HOW TO ACHIEVE AN EFFECTIVE WATERWISE
LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE
1. Seek input from stakeholders
2. Ordinance must be well written, organized, and comprehensive
3. City councils support, planners require and developers comply
4. Water-efficient landscapes must be attractive and protect property
values
5. Caretakers of water-efficient landscapes must water less
(ordinance saves water)
6. Most effective when combined with other programs

34. SAMPLE WATERWISE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE
• Applicability
• All new and expanded development
• Landscape Design
• Limited turf
• Waterwise plants
• Use of mulch
• Irrigation Design
• Zonal irrigation
• Spray irrigation prohibited on park strips narrower than 8 feet
• Irrigation efficiency requirements
• Enforcement
• Excessive Water Use