For decades, irrigation was a guessing game. We set mechanical timers to run for twenty minutes at dawn and hoped for the best, which often resulted in water running down the gutter on rainy days or parched turf during a heatwave. Today, that old school guesswork is being replaced by smart technology that actually listens […]
For most of irrigation’s history in urban and commercial settings, managing water was largely a matter of estimation. Landscape contractors worked from experience, property managers relied on set-it-and-forget-it schedules, and the first real signal that something had gone wrong was usually a utility bill, a tenant complaint, or a patch of stressed turf. The feedback […]
Earth Day is one of the most widely recognized environmental events in the world. Every April 22, millions of people take part in activities focused on protecting the planet. But behind the cleanups and campaigns is a deeper story about how it started, what it represents, and why it continues to matter today. Here are […]
Water has always been essential. What’s changed is how much it costs. And why? Across the U.S., water rates are climbing, driven by a “perfect storm” of crumbling infrastructure, new federal mandates, and explosive industrial demand. While annual increases might seem incremental, the cumulative trend is staggering. Here are six things you need to know […]
Drive through farm country and you’ll notice them almost immediately. Long spans of steel stretching across fields, slowly moving in wide circles, quietly watering crops hour after hour. For many, they are just part of the landscape. But those machines, known as center pivots, represent one of the most important shifts in how agriculture is […]
Most people water their landscapes based on guesswork. A little here, a little there, adjust the timer when things look dry, and hope for the best. But there’s a number—a simple coefficient—that tells you exactly how much water each plant needs. It’s called the plant species factor, and understanding it can cut your water use […]
The Colorado River water management crisis has reached another critical moment. There is a deadline on the wall, and the West just missed it. February 14th came and went without agreement among the seven Colorado River Basin states on how to manage one of the most critical water systems in North America. It wasn’t the first missed […]
If you watched the Super Bowl this past Sunday, you probably noticed the passes, the tackles, and maybe even the halftime show. But did you notice the lawn? Of course you didn’t. And that’s exactly the point. The turf at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara looked flawless. Not a brown spot, not a puddle, not […]
Insights from a new UC San Diego study on the hidden drivers of drought risk I’ve always appreciated having the University of California, San Diego practically “up the street” from where I live. Beyond the ocean views and the innovation culture, UCSD continues to deliver research that reshapes how we think about climate, agriculture, and water. […]
Every November, as we gather around the table and give thanks for food, family, and friendship, it’s worth pausing to consider what quietly connects every part of that scene: water. From the fields that grew our food to the rivers that shaped our communities, water touches everything we celebrate at Thanksgiving. It’s in the soil […]