Berthoud-based Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Northern Water) has a long history of facilitating water efficiency through studies, its Conservation Gardens and industry certification classes. Yet, increased demand for landscape water efficiency assistance has driven Northern Water to expand its support of the green industry and efforts to enhance landscape water use and value. After collaboration and stakeholder feedback, Northern Water identified opportunities to help water users manage their water better. Created in 2017, the Water Efficiency Program now offers multiple, complementary solutions to build more capacity for efficient water use in the region.

Northern Water: the big picture
Northern Water manages the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, which provides supplemental water supplies to about 1 million people and 640,000 acres of irrigated farmland in northeast Colorado. The 66 cities, towns and water districts served include Fort Collins, Boulder, Greeley, Longmont and Broomfield. Many homes and businesses in those cities have lush, attractive landscapes that add to the high quality of life that attracts many new residents. With that growth, however, many communities are asking for help to improve water efficiency to address increasing water prices, climate change, drought awareness, management challenges and evolving landscape ethics and needs.

Collaborative Water-Efficient Landscape Grant Program
Earlier this year, Northern Water launched the Collaborative Water-Efficient Landscape Grant Program. Open to public entities, businesses, homeowner’s associations and others served by Northern Water, the program offers grants up to $15,000 for projects that create and promote Colorado climate-friendly landscapes that thrive on natural precipitation or use minimal, efficient irrigation. A 50% match of funding or in-kind contributions is required for recipients.

As part of the grant program, Northern Water experts will review the project’s design and assist with signage and other materials so the projects can serve as satellite water-efficiency demonstration and education sites in the region.

Why Grants?
For Northern Water’s communities, many factors are driving residents to rethink, redesign or upgrade their landscapes. Grants provide a way to encourage such changes. For example, older landscape designs, through their plant choices, irrigation systems or landscape functions, often use lots of water, are difficult to manage and are expensive to maintain. While beautiful, they might provide lesser benefits to owners than newer alternatives.

While managing water use and costs is often a primary motivator for residents to pursue landscape updates, HOA boards, property managers and business owners have other reasons to update their landscaping, too. These motivations include preparing for drought, developing landscapes that add environmental benefits such as habitat, plant diversity and pollination, offering educational opportunities about drought resilience or adding social connectivity opportunities through amenities. Environmentally and socially responsible use of land and water can save money and be sustainable, too.

This is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the September/October 2019 issue of Colorado Green. Read the full article online.

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW:
Tough and proven perennials for Colorado
Sleep power: it keeps you on your game
OSHA implements new weighting system
Latest on EAB: preparing for the inevitable