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6) USE LOWER WATER DEMAND PLANTS Watar savings ot 30-60% can be rsallzed by lIlIlng planta whh lower water requirements. There are many landscaping speclea available with drought tolerance characteristics. However, some supple- mental water la usually n&cassary to maintain turf density and color even when a lower water turf is used. Yet some ahernate turf grasaes require very little supplemental moisture to keep visual quality high, whlla othera reduce irrigation requlremants by 40-50%, or possibly aa high aa 75% when using bluegrass as a standard. Studies have also shown ;that Irrigating at 80% ot the ;avapotranaplrat\on rata (ET) or recommended species rate wi" main- tain the visual quality otturf and yield a higher wa- ter savings. As an example, visually very little dH- terence can be distinguished 'rom the highway between bluegrasa and taU lescue, In either tex- ture or appearance; yet a change trom bluegrass to the more drought tolerant tall fescue nets a 25% water savings alter estaabllshmenl. Irrigating at 80% of the ET rate can Increase lotal water sav- Ingsto as much as 55%. See Appendix B, Plant PlaUe, tor plant material suggestions. .... 7) APPROPRIATE MAINTENANCE A regular schedule of maintanance which Includes the basic practices ot pruning, weeding, tertillza- lion, needed pesl conlrol and Irrigation system re- pair and adjustment Is ths IInal slep In preserving the planned landscape appearance and ensurfng continued water conservation. Utilizing xerlacapa techniques can reduce maintenance requirements by reducing or eliminating the need tor such labor Intensive acllvit/es as hand and line trimming around trees, shrubs and borders, trequent mow- Ings, etc. See Appendix E for Maintenance Guidelines. 17.