Resiliency and Drought Plan

The use of WeatherTRAK irrigation controllers use has allowed the University to efficiently manage their water resources on campus.

• The majority of controllers have dedicated programs exclusively for turfgrass and perennials, and where irrigation design allows it, there’s also a dedicated program for trees. This allows USU to manage watering priorities based on watering restrictions and plant resilience.
• Watering only when necessary by providing site-specific weather data and multi-factor hourly evapotranspiration calculations that takes into account sprinkler type, precipitation rate, sprinkler efficiency, soil type, plant type, root depth, microclimate, and slope on a station-by-station basis. This allows for automatic adjustment of watering periods based on weather reporting. Mobile alerts enable fast response to leaking pipes and sprinkler heads.
• Centralized irrigation alerts that allow USU to prioritize and tend to watering issues for all 130 controllers across campus.
• Specific programming to more than 1900 hydro-zones that include sprinkler type, soil type, plant type, root depth, microclimate, and slope to optimize water usage and plant health.
• Maximized water infiltration to the root zone without causing water run-off, areas in hills and those with a heavy clay soil texture have a cycle and soak watering scheduling.
• Irrigation is implemented using a water window schedule allowing for a convenient watering schedule and modifying it when watering restrictions are more severe.
• Substantial mapping of all hydro-zones on the main campus has been implemented to include assets such as valve locations, isolation valves, main and secondary drains, and junction boxes improving USU irrigation tech response and general operation time.
• Extensive programming has been implemented to create hydraulic trees with mainline pipe sizes and materials to optimize the usage of available water.

• Phase 1: Abnormally Dry [Minimal Water Savings | Focus on Good Practices and No Water Waste]:
  1. Maintain mowing height at 3”
  2. Maintain and Utilize Smart Irrigation system.
  3. Aerate at least twice a year.
• Phase 2: Moderate Drought [Water Savings 15-25% | Goal to Maintain Consistent Green Turf]
  1. Apply Wetting Agent to “Hot Spots” on campus. The wetting agent helps the soil hold water and distribute it more evenly through the soil.
  2. Raise mowing heights to 3.5 or 4 inches. The turf will look slightly shaggy in appearance but it will keep roots longer and reduce the amount of irrigation needed.
  3. Aerate 4 to 5 times per year.
• Phase 3: Severe Drought [Water Savings 25-50%]
  1. Apply Wetting Agent to all of campus.
  2. Mow twice per week, if manpower and equipment is available. This reduces stress and water usage of the turf with executive leaders to consider mandating additional water restrictions.
  3. Avoid foot traffic on turf. Ask that events and activities be held on hard surfaces if possible.
  4. Some outlier areas of campus will develop localized dry spots (about 20-25 percent of campus).
  5. Protect the trees.
• Phase 4: Extreme Drought [Water Savings 50-75%]
  1. Allow small Local Dry Spots to appear across all of campus or allow larger localized dry spots to appear across 50-70 percent of campus and maintain a few key areas to higher standards.
  2. Allow grass to grow long. Very little to no mowing will occur.
  3. Protect the trees. Mature trees take priority over turf, flowers, and shrubs.
• Phase 5: Exceptional Drought [Water Savings 75-100% | State to generally decide actions]
  1. Localized dry spots will cover all of campus.
  2. Outlying turf areas will be allowed to go dormant.
  3. Protect mature trees.
  4. Make decisions on what vegetation to keep alive and what vegetation will be allowed to die.

• Level 1: Normal Conservation Efforts [Year-round]:
• Level 2: Active Conservation Efforts (for residents) [Irrigation Season]:
  1. Decrease irrigation to 2-3 times per week
  2. Encourage watering between the times of 6pm-10am
  3. Passively promote “waterwise” and “slow the flow”
• Level 3: Mild Water Restrictions [Consumption is 80-89% of Total Capacity*]
  1. Meet with executive leaders to consider mandating conservation efforts
  2. Consider mandating irrigation during 6pm-10am + Passively promote “waterwise” and “slow the flow”
• Level 4: Severe Water Restrictions [Consumption is 95% of Total Capacity*]
  1. Meet with canal companies to discuss how existing water right exchanges can be better utilized to provide water to Logan City to meet indoor demands (remove 10cfs restriction at Dewitt Springs if it has been implemented).
  2. Meet with executive leaders to consider mandating additional water restrictions
  3. Consider restricting all outdoor water use (excluding pet, livestock, and hand watering of vegetable gardens)
  4. Consider creating a hotline to report restriction violations
  5. Actively promote indoor conservation efforts from “waterwise” and “slow the flow”
• Additional Tools:
  1. Tiered water rate structure to promote responsible outdoor water use during summer months
  2. Community Development fines for violations for levels 4-5 if mandatory restrictions are implemented
  3. Class B misdemeanor for grievous violations for level 5 if mandatory restrictions are implemented (with shutoff option)

*Consumption measured over a 3-day average.

Imposes requirements related to water conservation at state government facilities and by state agencies;

• A state agency that owns or occupies a state government facility that is reconstructed after May 4, 2022, may not have more than 20% of the grounds of the state government facility be lawn or turf.
• “State agency” includes an institution of higher education.
• A state agency shall reduce outdoor water use as compared to use for fiscal year 2020:
  • By 5% by the end of fiscal year 2023
  • By 25% by the end of fiscal year 2026
• Establishes irrigation requirements.

State incentives to use drought resistant landscaping:

• “Lawn or turf” does not include a golf course, park, athletic field, or sod farm.
• Subject to a $5,000,000 aggregate annual cap, the division may provide an incentive to an owner to remove lawn or turf from land owned by the owner and replace the lawn or turf with drought resistant landscaping.