July is Smart Irrigation Month
Although we should be mindful of our water use every month, July is the official “Smart Irrigation Month” because it is a peak month for outdoor water use. An initiative of the Irrigation Association (a non-profit industry organization dedicated to promoting efficient irrigation), Smart Irrigation Month is a public awareness campaign that seeks to promote effective practices and innovative technologies to:
- Increase crop yield per acre
- Apply water and nutrient inputs more precisely for improved results with no waste
- Minimize runoff and top soil erosion
- Help protect and preserve water supplies for today and the future
Smart Irrigation Month extends beyond agriculture, and includes water use for landscape, homeowners, gardens, sports fields, and more. In California, Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has officially announced the month as “Water Smart Month”, as part of the state’s ongoing effort to educate the public about ways to conserve water, such as drip irrigation.
According to Brown, “July is the perfect time to increase water awareness throughout the state. The snow packs are shrinking and the state will not see its reservoirs begin to fill again until fall. Low consumption practices and technology will help keep water in the streams and lakes for all to enjoy. I invite all Californians to practice more sustainable water consumption, whether it be watering the lawn less frequently, constructing a drip irrigation system for the garden or upgrading existing systems with smart irrigation controllers.”
But California isn’t the only state participating. Many states are promoting efficient irrigation practices for the entire month of July, as well. To learn more about Smart Irrigation Month, visit www.smartirrigationmonth.org or read this article in Irrigation & Green Industry.
What are you doing for Smart Irrigation Month? Leave us a comment and let us know.
