TY - JOUR
T1 - An ecohydrological approach to conserving urban water through optimized landscape irrigation schedules
AU - Volo, Thomas J.
AU - Vivoni, Enrique R.
AU - Ruddell, Benjamin L.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding is acknowledged from the National Science Foundation grants EF1049251 “Assessing Decadal Climate Change Impacts on Urban Populations in the Southwestern United States” and BCS-1026865 “Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research”. Funding was also provided to the first author from an Arizona State University Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Dean's Fellowship . We also thank Dr. Chris A. Martin and Dr. Stevan Earl for their assistance and expertise with the NDV data, and three anonymous reviewers whose comments helped improve the original manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier B.V..
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Despite the high percentage of residential water used outdoors, particularly in arid climates, there is a poor understanding of the fate of water used to maintain urban landscapes. Furthermore, opportunities exist for water conservation through improved irrigation schedules that take advantage of seasonal weather patterns and the natural ability of plants to resist water stress. This study uses a calibrated numerical model of soil moisture dynamics with meteorological data to determine irrigation schedules that minimize outdoor water use while maintaining specified levels of plant water stress. Results suggest annual irrigation well below local municipal recommendations, and substantial modifications to recommended schedules. Differences between xeric (low water use, drip irrigators, and gravel cover) and mesic (high water use, sprinklers, and turfgrass) landscaping, with respect to irrigation scheduling, soil water losses, plant water stress, and potential water savings, are presented to improve planning and maintenance of urban landscapes, particularly in water-scarce regions.
AB - Despite the high percentage of residential water used outdoors, particularly in arid climates, there is a poor understanding of the fate of water used to maintain urban landscapes. Furthermore, opportunities exist for water conservation through improved irrigation schedules that take advantage of seasonal weather patterns and the natural ability of plants to resist water stress. This study uses a calibrated numerical model of soil moisture dynamics with meteorological data to determine irrigation schedules that minimize outdoor water use while maintaining specified levels of plant water stress. Results suggest annual irrigation well below local municipal recommendations, and substantial modifications to recommended schedules. Differences between xeric (low water use, drip irrigators, and gravel cover) and mesic (high water use, sprinklers, and turfgrass) landscaping, with respect to irrigation scheduling, soil water losses, plant water stress, and potential water savings, are presented to improve planning and maintenance of urban landscapes, particularly in water-scarce regions.
KW - Desert cities
KW - Low-density residential
KW - Modeling
KW - Phoenix, Arizona
KW - Plant water stress
KW - Soil moisture
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84908334206&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.09.012
DO - 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.09.012
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84908334206
SN - 0169-2046
VL - 133
SP - 127
EP - 132
JO - Landscape Planning
JF - Landscape Planning
ER -