Weather: On a hot, sunny day in midsummer, the average lawn uses 125 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet. The same lawn on a cool, cloudy day uses as little as 10 gallons of water. Mature trees can use up to 15 gallons of water per hour on a hot day.
Multiply your lawn's square footage by 0.62 gallons (equal to an inch of water per square foot) to determine the total number of gallons needed for the entire lawn.
The amount of water you need is generally 1 to 1.5 inches per week, but it can vary depending on your grass type, the climate you live in, your soil type, and the age of your lawn. In general, you want the top 6-8 inches of soil to be moist, but not soggy—which translates to 1 to 1.5 inches per week.
Now get ready to do some math. It takes about 0.623 gallons of water per square foot (just over a half gallon) to cover your lawn with one inch of water. To figure out how much water you need to use to reach that one-inch mark, multiply the length of your yard by its width. This is called its square footage.
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has t has a lot to say about the amount of water required to irrigate natural grass fields. A standard lawn of 1,000 sq feet requires roughly 35,000 gallons of water per year.
Light applications of water promote lush growth but shallow grass roots. Shallow-rooted turf grass undergo more stress in dry conditions. So, how much is an inch of water a week? Experts say this amounts to roughly six gallons per square yard per week.
It is ideal to water lawns about one inch of water per week. To determine how long you need to water to get one inch, place a plastic container in your yard and set a timer. On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. So, 20 minutes, three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water.
Sprinklers generally cover up wider ground and spread out water at a slow yet steady pace, which makes all the soil moisturized evenly and soaked underground. A watering hose takes time to cover space and can clutter the soil if there's too much water.
The average system uses approximately 15-16 gallons per minute, per station. Here is an easy formula to help you calculate the approximate amount of water you are using each month.
Water Wisely
Many of us water too often and too long. Most lawns need to be watered no more than three days a week in the spring as well as in the summer and two days a week in the fall. This watering schedule is recommended under normal water supply conditions.
1. Weather: On a hot, sunny day in midsummer, the average lawn uses 125 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet. The same lawn on a cool, cloudy day uses as little as 10 gallons of water. Mature trees can use up to 15 gallons of water per hour on a hot day.
How Long Should I Water at a Time? A watering session should be long enough to soak the area sufficiently so all the roots receive a beneficial drink. Sprinklers should be set to run for about 30 to 35 minutes at a time twice a week.
Yes, your grass can get too much water. If your grass gets too much water, it doesn't get oxygen and can actually suffocate. Too much water also makes your grass more susceptible to disease. Watering Guidelines for New Lawns: New lawns need to be watered every day and sometimes more than once a day to keep soil moist.
According to lawn care experts, the best time to water grass is in the early morning, ideally before 10am. During this time, the temperature outside is still relatively cool, and the wind and sun are less intense.
Some believe that placing a jug of water on the lawn will keep dogs from defecating there. Dogs are believed to avoid messing up areas where there is a water source.
If your sprinkler output is 1½ inches per week, your sprinklers should run for only ⅓ hour or 20 minutes that week (½ divided by 1½). On a twice-weekly watering schedule, run your sprinklers 10 minutes each time.
The average usage of water in a residential sprinkler system is between 12 – 30 gallons per minute depending on the type and size of the sprinkler head.
Irrigation Systems
If your system has eight stations, and you water twice per week, and each station runs for 15 minutes, then you are using 1,920 gallons each day you water, or 15,360 gallons per month.
Uses less water
Sprinklers project water into the air and over plants, allowing some of it to drift in the wind or evaporate from leaves. But hand watering allows gardeners to direct water precisely where it's needed, minimizing drift and evaporation.
Not Adjusted to Properly Cover the Right Areas
If one sprinkler head sprays over another one, this leads to overwatering and wasted water and money. Your grass and plants will absorb what they need to survive. Water they don't need will sit and pool on the surface of your grass.
Drip irrigation is the most water-efficient way to irrigate many different plantings. It is an ideal way to water in clay soils because the water is applied slowly, allowing the soil to absorb the water and avoid runoff. Drip devices use a fraction of the water that overhead spray devices use.
Avoid watering grass on a hot afternoon when it's 95 degrees or higher. The best time to water grass is at dawn or in the early evening. Water deeply three times a week instead of a little water daily. Test whether your sprinkler system is watering your lawn evenly.
Many grasses can stay in dormancy for 3-4 weeks without beginning to deteriorate to the point of plant death. When the prolonged period without rain ends, the turf is able to regenerate from rhizomes and stolons.