BOARD00789

• Board Meeting Date: 3/20/2000
• Description: OWC Section - Yield and Reliability Demonstrated in Xeriscape
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver. Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]--! 1
FAX: (303) 866-+m

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Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

MEMORANDUM

Peter H. Evans
CWCB Director

TO:

FROM:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

William P. Stanton, P.E. \]J~'
Chief, Water Conservation Planning Section

Dan McAuliffe
Depu ty Director

DATE:

March 10, 2000

SUBJECT:

Agenda Item 27b, March 20-21, 2000 Board Meeting -
Water Conservation Planning Program - Yield and Reliability Demonstrated
in Xeriscape (YARD X) Water Conservation Project

Introduction

This memo is to briefly infonn you about the ongoing Yield And Reliability
Demonstrated in Xeriscape (Y ARDX - pronounced "yards") project. Y ARDX is a five-year
project that has promise to quantify costs, maintenance time and water savings associated with
Xeriscape ™ landscaping.

Background

Xeriscape principles include the use of plants appropriate for local climate and conditions,
use of soil amendments and mulches, and proper watering and maintenance. This project is
attempting to conduct a scientific analysis on Xeriscape that will quantify its benefits. The three
primary goals of the project are to:

1. Quantify the range of water savings on an a!lllual and seasonal basis when Xeriscape is
properly installed and maintained.
2. Calculate the cost of installing and maintaining Xeriscape landscapes for new
construction, retrofits to existing traditional landscapes and pre-existing (installed prior
to YARDX) Xeriscapes.
3. Detennine the reliability ofXeriscape water savings. (Do water consumption patterns
change with the age of the landscape or varying human factors?)