Archive for “Arizona Articles” Category

Irrigation Maintenance Checklist Perfect for Spring Weather

January 28, 2021

Ahhhh, spring in the Desert Southwest… beautiful, sunny, seventy-five degree days. It’s perfect weather for gardening, but it’s also an especially good time for some irrigation system maintenance. Irrigation problems are not always apparent because of the cool nighttime temperatures, the periodic cloudy days, and even the occasional sprinkle of rain. So, don’t wait until the heat sets in. It …

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Broken spray head

5 Common Landscape Mistakes During Monsoon Season

August 10, 2020

We know, we know, we are in the middle of a “nonsoon.” But hear us out, it will happen (hopefully, one day, maybe soon, we hope…). Monsoon season in the Valley can be a great time of year for suddenly cooler temperatures and extraordinary sunsets, but it makes caring for desert landscapes a bit more mysterious. There’s more unusual weather …

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Arizona Water Trivia, Facts, and Tips

July 14, 2020

We at Water – Use It Wisely often find ourselves rambling to family and friends about the importance of water conservation in Arizona. It occurred to us that we should share these facts and tips with everyone. After all, knowledge is power, right? Now you can share Arizona water trivia, facts, and tips with your own family and friends and …

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Educational Resources Involving Water In Arizona For Home-Bound Students

June 24, 2020

When it comes to finding worthwhile material for keeping the young ones occupied during these long weeks of sheltering in place, the need remains great even as the stack of interesting, educational options dwindles. We have found two online Arizona-centric sources that offer kid-level insight into the nature of the State’s water supplies, as well as some breathtaking depictions of …

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Why Are We Still Using Flood Irrigation In The Desert?

April 26, 2020

Flood irrigation can be a surprising sight in a desert valley. Water comes pouring out of ditches, covering large parks, ball fields or yards in what looks like deep storm runoff. While the rest of us are using drip lines and sprinklers, this sort of watering is difficult to understand. Here are the facts about flood irrigation in the Valley. …

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Give the Gift That Keeps on Saving

December 12, 2019

December is typically the time to shop for others. So, while you’re at it, why not consider a gift of water savings for your home and/or for the environment? Water-efficient devices and appliances give back all year not only in terms of the amount of water saved, but also money saved on your water bill, wastewater bill, and often even …

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Attention Photographers: Capture the Beauty and Importance of Arizona Water

November 13, 2019

The Water Resources Research Center’s (WRRC) Annual Photo Contest is back and it’s your chance to showcase your work while helping convey the beauty and importance of Arizona water. Use your creativity and technical ability to express the many ways water transforms our state and how our state transforms water. Capture anything from people and nature to business and agriculture. …

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Imagine A Day Without Water With Our Resident Vandweller

October 23, 2019

In celebration of Imagine A Day Without Water, we profiled Zack – a man who lives every day with hardly any water. Zack lives in a van. While Zack’s van is not down by the river, his lifestyle provides a great lesson on water conservation and the impact of living minimally. Zack became a vandweller in July 2019 as a …

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For the Love of Green Grass

September 24, 2019

It’s one of the great debates. Like Yankees vs. Red Sox, Democrats vs. Republicans, cat lovers vs. dog lovers, there are those who overseed their grass vs. those who don’t. Why the great debate? Well, it’s hard to say exactly how it all started, but it likely has something to do with American’s love of lush green grass and doing …

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Desert Plants and Desert Native Bees — A Potent Pollination Pairing!

August 21, 2019

Desert plants are challenged by hot and arid growing conditions. Water-wise gardening addresses their water needs and defines the best growing locations. But how can we be more confident that the timely pollination needed to set seeds, fruits, or nuts is accomplished? The answer is desert native bees, master pollinators of desert plants. The estimated 1,000 species of native bees …

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Is 24,000 gallons of water per month too much for a family of three?

August 12, 2019

When in doubt, ask. Here are an interesting question and answer about home water use that I think all homeowners can take advantage of. You asked … I have a concern about high water usage. We have lots of mature landscaping, but artificial turf (no grass), a fairly large pool, hot tub, three full baths, and a 1/2 bath. There …

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Hydrate Your Yard with Rainwater, Greywater, and Composting!

June 28, 2019

Envision your dream landscape. Does it have a rainwater-harvesting garden, rockwork, and basins overflowing with flowering native plants? How about a greywater system watering a fig tree or a buzzing pollinator garden? Once you’ve got the image, how would you bring it to life? Watershed Management Group (WMG) can help! Water harvesting rain gardens are basins that collect water and …

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