California’s water challenge cannot be solved by reducing landscape water use. The environmental and social benefits of living, healthy landscapes far outweigh the potential water savings.
Gardeners should conserve water, irrigate wisely, choose water-wise plants for their gardens, and do their part to use water intelligently.
Gardens and landscapes should NOT be singled out
by water agencies, governments, or the media.
California’s water shortage cannot be resolved
by reducing landscape water!
We have sourced the information below to help you
understand more about water conservation.
Every five years the CA Dept of Water Resources produces an extensive California Water Plan. It is the State's official strategic plan for sustainably managing and developing water resources and presents the status and trends of California’s water-dependent natural resources. The 2013 plan, at over 3,500 pages, is the most recent full report, but is a lot to deal with.
The 2018 update is a bit easier to digest. It provides the most accurate summary of California’s water uses, including such uses as environmental, energy production, industrial, conveyance, groundwater recharge, agricultural and urban.
The University of CA Cooperative Extension presented a much clearer and easier explanation and graph in the report below. From the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources division, this is one of the most informative discussions about California's landscape water use.
Average percentages of developed water use in California during a non-drought year.
(Sources: Calif. Dept. of Water Resources, 2013 California Water Plan Update Chapter 3. UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability, So. Calif. Environmental Report Card, Fall 2009).
Of that 9% of statewide landscape water use, outdoor residential use accounts for 7%, while parks, golf courses, sports fields, commercial landscapes, and similar large landscapes account for 2%. Landscape irrigation is estimated to account for about 50% of annual residential water consumption statewide. That amount varies widely from about 30% in many coastal communities to 60% or more in many inland suburban communities.