 Soak in all this water conservation.
Our newsletter is monthly unless we have significant rain events.
Perhaps you're so excited to see rain that you've forgotten to turn off your automatic irrigation timer.
If you haven’t already done so, use the 'off' 'stop' or 'rain' setting on your controller to stop the watering cycle without disturbing your programs. In fact, any time you receive one-half inch of rain or more, we recommend that you stop the watering cycle on your controller to help save water and money.
 How much rainfall did you get?
If you don’t have a rain gauge, find excellent information at the Maricopa County Flood Control rainfall data maps. We're seeing an inch or more in many areas.
You may also want to see what your neighborhood weather watchers are recording at www.rainlog.org.
When do you turn your irrigation back on?
Keep an eye on your landscape to determine when you need to turn the controller back on. You can skip at least one, maybe two, irrigation cycles. For example, if you water your grass every 4 days, turn it back on after 4-8 dry days.
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Take advantage of free water!
One inch of rain off a rooftop of a 1,500 square foot home can collect about 900 gallons of water! Add 3,000 square feet of landscape (a typical front and back yard) and you can collect another 1,800 gallons. That’s why it pays to look into rainwater harvesting techniques to keep this beneficial resource on your property.
This is a great time to observe how water is flowing off your home and property to see areas where you can collect rainwater.
Learn more on our Rainwater Harvesting page where we direct you to all the information you need to know.
Got weeds?
Don't forget that weeds may compete with landscape plants for water. After a good soaking rain like this is a great time to hand pull them. It's a lot easier to pull out the entire weed, roots and all.
**Reduce your landscape water use 30 to 50 percent by adjusting your irrigation each season.** Landscape Watering by the Numbers: A Guide for the Arizona Desert will help you determine how much water to apply and how long to run your system. Visit the interactive website or request a free copy of the booklet.
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