Stewardship Tip April 14th, 2009 – Buffalo Grass
If lawn renovation is on your agenda this spring, consider using buffalo grass instead of bluegrass or fescue.
Buffalo grass, a North American native, has adapted to the droughts that are common on the Great Plains and is a frugal consumer of water. An established buffalo grass lawn requires about 1.5 inches of water per month. In contrast, a bluegrass lawn requires up to 2 inches per week. Buffalo grass will establish a deep root system which enhances its drought tolerance. It will grow at a slow to moderate rate, requiring less mowing, and will do well with approximately 2 pounds of total nitrogen per 1000 square feet per growing season, about a third less than a comparable bluegrass lawn.
Because of these traits, a home owner can realize significant reductions in irrigation, mowing, and fertilization costs by planting buffalo grass.
Why it is important to the fish: Taxed by drought, residential water use, and agricultural irrigation, Lake Mead’s elevation is, currently, 1,104 feet above mean sea level, 69 feet below the lake’s average elevation. Researchers at the Scripps Institute have postulated that, if current water use is not curtailed, Lake Mead could drop below minimum power pool elevation by 2017. They hypothesize, further, that the lake could drop below dead storage elevation by 2021. The implications are dramatic. If there is no water, there will be no fish.
Landscape irrigation accounts for about one-third of all residential water use. When we plant drought resistant grasses such as buffalo grass, we reduce our residential water use and relieve the pressure that we place on our reservoirs. Buffalo grass is an excellent addition to any landscape and helps to reduce operating expenses as well. You win, water wins, and the fish win.
Find your local cooperative extension office at the USDA’s website. Your local extension agent can help you to determine if buffalo grass is right for your location.
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