Montrose is Getting Drought Ready

California is in its fourth year of exceptional drought. Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order on April 1, 2015 directing the State Water Resources Board to implement mandatory water reductions to reduce water usage by 25% statewide and Glendale, now in Phase III of its Mandatory Water Conservation Ordinance, has been quick to respond and do its part! In addition to meeting the State Water Board’s mandatory regulations the Metropolitan Water Agency (MWD), where Glendale purchases about 70% of its water, declared it is going to limit deliveries of water to its member agencies. This will result in about a 15% reduction in wholesale water use that affects GWP starting July 1. With the state’s restrictions and the limited deliveries of water from MWD, Glendale needs to conserve more in order to avoid fines of up to $10,000 daily from the state for not meeting its 20% goal and to avoid paying higher fees to MWD for purchasing water over the allocation. Yikes!

By now I am sure you have seen the changes the Montrose Shopping Park has undergone to make it drought resistant. The City of Glendale is replacing the grass turf plots in the shopping park with stabilized decomposed granite and adding new drought resistant plants to the landscape. Decomposed granite is like gravel, but finer and generally more stable. It’s formed from the natural weathering and erosion of solid granite – a tough, hard igneous rock. One of its advantages is that it breaks down and does not cause some of the problems gravel does. Decomposed granite is also a permeable surface that will prevent rainwater runoff, requires no water and is easy to walk across. Perfect! According to Koko Panossian, Glendale’s senior Park Services manager, “We are working very hard to make sure that we not only reduce water consumption in Montrose but also maintain the integrity of the ‘park-like’ setting in the shopping park. We want to bring in [drought resistant] plants, but not necessarily native plants which can bring a ‘desert-like feel’ to the area. We will be bringing in many plants that already exist in the shopping Park or are of a similar nature.”

We must all do our part to make a difference. So here are some helpful tips to help you save water: Do not hose down driveways or walkways; use a broom instead. Repair leaks, replace damaged sprinkler heads and adjust sprinklers to avoid over-spray. Set your lawn mower blade height at two or three inches because longer grass will reduce evaporation and shade the roots. Use mulch under trees and plant to help retain moisture. Take five-minute showers. Change your landscape watering system to drip irrigation wherever possible. Adjust sprinklers so they are watering the landscape and not the sidewalks and driveways. If you want to replace your own turf with drought resistant options, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) has a turf replacement program for residents and business customers through its SoCal WaterSmart Program. Rebates of up to $2 per square foot are available to customers. California Friendly plants are an essential component of water conservation.

To find out more information or to reserve a rebate, visit SoCalWaterSmart.com or  call (888) 376-3314. For more information on how to save water log onto saveourh2o.org, Glendalewaterwisegardening.com, GlendaleWaterAndPower.com and www.Bewaterwise.com. Also you can download a new free mobile app called GWP – Mobile My Connect. With this new and interactive app customers can better manage their energy and water usage on their smartphone, tablet or computer.

Don’t forget to join us for our red, white and blue mixer on July 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at CV Insurance, 3156 Foothill Blvd.in La Crescenta. Remember to wear your red, white and blue and show your patriotic pride!

  melinda clarke