Thank you to all who follow the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide. Water-saving actions make a difference, saving billions of gallons each year. Keep it up!
Drought continues to impact our state, with some areas implementing restrictions, so check with your local provider. Follow the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide to find customized watering recommendations for your area.
60% of residential water use is used for outdoor irrigation. Eliminating just one watering can save about 3,000 gallons for the average quarter-acre Utah yard with .17 acres of green space. Please look for ways to water efficiently and slow the flow.
Each watering should apply ½” of water. To determine how long your stations should run to apply a ½”, we recommend getting a Water Check or doing one yourself. The application rate of a sprinkler system depends on the water pressure, system design, and system efficiency. Below are some general ranges of typical run times based on precipitation rate:
Head Type | Precipitation Rate | Run Time for 0.5" | Cycle Recommendation |
Spray Head | 1.3" - 2.0" | 15 - 23 min | 3 cycles |
Rotor Head | 0.4" - 1.0" | 30 - 75 min | 3 cycles |
MSMT Head | 0.4" - 0.6" | 30 - 50 min | 3 cycles |
* Information courtesy of the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping, Utah State University
Cycling Recommendation: In areas with clay soils, split up sprinkler run times in three cycles with short pauses to allow the ground to absorb the water and prevent runoff. The method is called the “cycle and soak” method.
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