Ft Collins Soil Amendment WorkPlan

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, CITY OF FORT COLLINS. SOIL AMENDMENT PROJECT PROJECI' WORKPLAN 8/14/92 Jim Clark I, PROJECT DESCRIPTION One cornerstone of Xeriscape is the improvement of soil. With the high-clay soils typical to this area, a standard recommendation is to incorporate organic matter into the soil prior to landscaping. This improves the structure of the soil, theoretically resulting in less water wasted from runoff. Although studies have been performed to determine the pote1lliaI water savings benefits of amending soil with compost, there have been no regionally- applicable scientific studies that have determined the actual water savings with "real life" watering practices. This study will seek to answer that question. In the study, landscape water use will be compared between 50 new home owners (Group 1) that have amended their soil with commercial compost, and 50 new home owners (Group 2) that have not amended their soil. All homes will be metered and all homeowners will receive the same educational literature on efficient landscape watering. All 100 homeowners will receive $25 to compensate them for their time to provide research data. Group 1 subjects will receive an additional 575 to partially offset the cost of amending their soil. Monthly water use records for these 100 homes will be compiled for the period of December 1, 1993 to October 31, 1994. The completion of the fmal repon is slated for early February, 1995. n, GOALS/OB,JECTIVF.S The primary objective of this study will be to determine the actual water saving benefits of adding commercial compost to soil prior to landscaping, with "real life" watering practices. A secondary objective of the study will be to determine the approximate percentage of new-constrUction-homeowners that amend their landscaping soil with commercial compost or other organic materials. m. PROJECT PLANNING A. DATA REQUIRED 1. 6. list of homes planned to be built durinl1 fall 1992 or winter 1993. within ~ l.ar2et subdivisions. We would then randomly arrange for 50 homeowners on this list to participate in the study with a 5100 incentive offered to amend their soil. Likewise, we would arrange for SO homeowners on the list who would not be amending their soil to participate in the study, with $25 offered to compensate them for their time. This data will be compiled with the assistance of the City Building Depanment, developers, builders, and landscape contractors. 2. Water use r"'~rds for all 100 homes for the period of December 1, 1993 to October 31, 1994. This information is readily available from the Water Utility. 3. Daily evaootransDiration and precipitation data will be gathered for the study period, in order to determine the amount of required irrigation. This is routinely collected by Water Utility.