Drip Irrigation

Scientific American | November 1st, 1977

Some 40 years ago Symcha Blass, an Israeli engineer, observed that a large tree near a leaking faucet exhibited a more vigorous growth than the other trees in the are

Some 40 years ago Symcha Blass, an Israeli engineer, observed that a large tree near a leaking faucet exhibited a more vigorous growth than the other trees in the area, which were not reached by the water from the faucet. Blass knew that conventional methods of irrigation waste much of the water that is applied to the crop, and so the example of the leaking faucet led him to the concept of an irrigation system that would apply water in small amounts. literally drop by drop. Eventually he devised and patented a low-pressure system for delivering small amounts of water to the roots of plants at frequent intervals. The technique, as developed by Blass and subsequently refined by him and various manufacturers, consists in laying a plastic tube of small diameter on the surface of the field alongside the plants and delivering water to the plants slowly but frequently from holes or special emitters located at appropriate points along the tube. The concept, which is now called drip irrigation or trickle irrigation, has gained wide acceptance, proving to be particularly valuable in areas that are arid and have high labor costs. An unforeseen benefit is that the system works well with water that is highly saline, as water in arid regions often is.

Energizing Water Efficiency: California Energy Sector Experiences Can Advance State’s Water Conservation and Efficiency

Pacific Institute | December 29th, 2013

As a dry December accentuates the stress on California’s limited water supplies, the success of the state’s energy sector in implementing efficiency programs offers v

As a dry December accentuates the stress on California’s limited water supplies, the success of the state’s energy sector in implementing efficiency programs offers valuable lessons to the water sector. A new report from the Pacific Institute examines the rules, regulations, and policies that promote energy efficiency and finds models for water management in drivers like the energy sector’s appliance standards, building codes, pricing policies, and utility-sponsored efficiency programs. California has made remarkable improvements in energy efficiency over the last several decades and is recognized as a national leader. The state’s per capita electricity and natural gas consumption is about 45% and 30% less, respectively, than other Americans. Indeed, California’s per capita electricity consumption has remained largely unchanged since the mid-1970s – while increasing by more than 50% across the U.S.  Efficiency policies, including incentive and education programs, have been a major factor in reducing per capita energy use in California. In water conservation and efficiency, California has also made major advances. Many urban areas across the state, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, are serving a larger population with the same or even less water than 20 years ago. But with increasing pressure on water supply from population and economic growth, the need to restore freshwater ecosystems, and climate change, greater water conservation and efficiency are essential. “Reductions in per-capita water demand have been driven first by a shift to a less water-intensive service-oriented economy, and second by federal, state, and local policies as well as utility programs facilitating water-efficiency improvements,” said Heather Cooley, co-director of the Pacific Institute Water Program. “We must examine new approaches for achieving even greater savings to address the water challenges we now face.” The Pacific Institute report identifies programs that have worked for the energy sector and offers recommendations for how they could be adapted to the water sector. First among them are to continuously update standards and codes for fixtures and buildings to capture new technologies and practices.

Equity in Stormwater Investments: Measuring Community Engagement and Disadvantaged Community Benefits for Equitable Impact in the Safe Clean Water Program

Publisher not available | August 4th, 2022

The Safe, Clean Water Program (SCWP) reflects the will of the voters of Los Angeles County, who approved Measure W in 2018 by close to 70%. The ballot measure established

The Safe, Clean Water Program (SCWP) reflects the will of the voters of Los Angeles County, who approved Measure W in 2018 by close to 70%. The ballot measure established a perpetual parcel tax “to fund projects and programs to increase stormwater capture and reduce stormwater and urban runoff pollution” in Los Angeles County “to increase water supply, improve water quality, and, where appropriate, provide community enhancements such as the greening of schools, parks, and wetlands, and increased public access to rivers, lakes, and streams.” In an ordinance implementing the Safe Clean Water Program, the county Board of Supervisors included provisions to prioritize equity in implementation and affirmed an intention to address inequity in infrastructure in August 2021. Those provisions gave rise to this report, which provides advice drawn from research and stakeholder engagement to the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) for measuring community engagement and Disadvantaged Community Benefits to better achieve the equitable impact sought by the SCWP. As part of a broader SCWP Metrics and Monitoring Study (MMS) commissioned by the LACFCD, we were charged with conducting research, consulting with stakeholders, and giving advice to the SCWP for metrics to measure community engagement and Disadvantaged Community Benefits.

Estimation of residential outdoor water use in Los Angeles, California

Landscape and Urban Planing (Elsevier) | July 1st, 2014

The current study analyzes existing methods for estimating outdoor use and landscape irrigation in highly developed residential areas across Los Angeles. Outdoor use was

The current study analyzes existing methods for estimating outdoor use and landscape irrigation in highly developed residential areas across Los Angeles. Outdoor use was estimated using three methods: two methods described by the Pacific Institute and a third approach that utilizes remotely sensed vegetation and water billing data. Monthly individual water use records were provided by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for 2000–2010. This period includes voluntary and mandatory restrictions due to drought conditions across the state. Records were aggregated to the census tract level to protect customer privacy. The two Pacific Institute methods, which are based on water billing data, generally underestimate outdoor use due to assumptions that the lowest water consumption month represents indoor use, which is likely not the case in Los Angeles. The remote-sensing model developed between single-family water use and the Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) surplus performed well in greener areas of the city and indicates that landscape irrigation use represents 54% of total single-family water use. The model also predicts an average decrease in landscaping irrigation of 6% and by 35% during voluntary and mandatory restrictions, respectively. Voluntary conservation and mandatory waste restrictions were less effective for higher income groups in the city, while more stringent pricing and non-pricing mandatory restrictions in FY2010 had similar effects across income groups. Study results contribute to a better understanding of the partitioning of Los Angeles residential water use and can be utilized to evaluate pricing structures and target water conservation efforts.

Estuary News, December 2009

San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) | December 15th, 2009

Estuary News, June 2014

San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) | June 15th, 2014

Estuary News, June 2017

San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) | June 15th, 2017

Evaluating effects of potential urban water use efficiency standards (AB 1668-SB 606) on urban retail water suppliers, wastewater management agencies, and urban landscapes (trees and urban parklands)**

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | January 15th, 2022

Click here for the draft report segment on wastewater.

Click here for the draft report segment on wastewater.

Evaluating effects of urban water use efficiency standards (AB 1668- SB 606) on urban retail water suppliers, wastewater management agencies, and urban landscapes (trees and urban parklands)*

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | January 15th, 2022

Click here for the companion draft chapter on trees and parkland

Click here for the companion draft chapter on trees and parkland

Evaluating the Effects of Turf-Replacement Programs in Los Angeles County

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | August 4th, 2017

In 2014, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) undertook an unprecedented investment to incentive turf replacement throughout Southern California i

In 2014, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) undertook an unprecedented investment to incentive turf replacement throughout Southern California in response to the state’s serious drought. MWD devoted $350 million to the program, resulting in more than 46,000 rebate payments to remove 165 million square feet of turf. The funding boost served as a tremendous natural experiment to better understand the effects turf replacement programs. As part of an evaluation of this program, UCLA and the University of Utah examined socio-economic and demographic characteristics of program participation and assessed changes in vegetation and landscapes of front yards resulting from turf replacement. We examined address-level records of 24,921 participants who applied for turf replacement rebates between February 2014 and April 2016 in Los Angeles (LA) County. We analyzed the socioeconomic and spatial determinants of program participation. Further, we used Google Earth Street View to characterize the landscapes and plants resulting from turf replacement based on a set of randomly selected participating properties. We ascertained the types of turf replacements that were installed and developed a classification system for landscape design types.