Even with the severe drought of 2002, conservation efforts in Colorado didn’t quite catch on until the 2007 recession made reducing high water bills high on many Coloradans’ priorities.

As co-founder of Columbine Design Annie Huston told the Daily Camera, ”After the last drought, everyone wanted to take care of things because they thought it would get worse . . . But that was short-lived.”

The recent Daily Camera news article recounted how advanced irrigation systems and Xeriscape (water-wise) design only became popular as a result of the financial hardship and new city codes that developed during the recession. As co-founder of Columbine Design Scott Huston was quoted, ”Wealthy people on big estates were tired of paying the water bill.”

The warm winter season followed by the dry spring has Colorado officials and landscapers wondering what this year’s drought season will bring. Concerned that there has not been enough emphasis on water conservation, Governor of Colorado John Hickenlooper officially named 2012 the Year of Water and July Smart Irrigation Month. The goal is to educate landscapers and homeowners on newer irrigation technologies that can reduce water usage without having to change landscapes.

Although these new technologies can reduce water consumption by 40 percent without having to change landscapes, trends in recent years are pointing to a shift from expansive laws and beds to lower maintenance landscapes that include patios, fireplaces and colorful, drought-tolerant plants.

Read more about these Colorado drought issues and water conservation efforts in the Daily Camera news article online.

 

Photo via Monrovia