Badger Mountain Irrigation District Voluntary Watering Schedule
Why a Watering Schedule Matters:
Ther Bager Mountain Irrigation District was created to serve mostly agricultural land that was irrigated on a 24-hr rotating schedule. This allowed the system an even amount of flow to irrigate the district over a 24-hour period. Converting to a residential system where homeowners now irrigate in a window of about 8 hours in the morning from 4 am to 8 am and in the evening from 6 pm to 10 pm this creates instantaneous demand that puts a strain on the BMID irrigation system. As everyone waters their lawns simultaneously, typically in the morning, it creates a surge in demand that can quickly affect pressures and flows in the system. This drop in pressure can lead to individuals watering for longer periods to compensate, further straining the system. Over the years BMID has made the necessary changes and updates to try to stay ahead of these changes and we still are making those changes and have a plan in place to mitigate the issues of these changes to the system.
A Spread-Out Approach for Efficient Water Use:
A voluntary watering schedule, spread throughout the day or evening, helps maintain consistent water pressure. This ensures everyone has access to adequate water for their lawns and gardens. This will also take the strain off of the system while we finish the necessary upgrades to handle the changes from an agricultural provider to a residential provider.
Benefits of watering more infrequently:
Grass, plants, trees and shrubs are all healthier when watered deeply and infrequently. Watering your lawn every day can weaken your grass. When lawns are overwatered, most of the grassroots are in the top one inch of soil or so. That makes your lawn less drought tolerant and unhealthy. A longer watering two to three times a week promotes deeper root growth as plants grow deeper looking for water.
Different areas of your lawn will have different watering requirements. The key is to make note of this as you water, so you can tailor your watering. Because every landscape and irrigation system are different, you may need to adjust this schedule. Variables such as soil, weather, flow rate, and plant type will affect irrigation needs. If a plant appears stressed, check around the root zone to determine if the soil is dry or waterlogged, both conditions can cause plants to exhibit a wilted appearance. For example, south-facing hills may require more water, areas under trees, less.
Recommended times per week to irrigate for best results:
• Up to 3 days a week: March – April
• Up to 4 days a week: May – August
• Up to 3 days a week: September – October
Recommended times per week to irrigate for best results:
• Even numbered addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 water on even numbered calendar days.
• Odd numbered addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 water on odd numbered calendar days.
*You may water at any time during the 24 hours of your scheduled day. Drip irrigation systems, spot watering and hose watering are not affected by the schedule.
-More info here at the Washington State University Irrigation Lawn Care Fact Sheet.
