MIL-HDBK-1165
c) Water in the morning rather than midday or evening.
Watering in midday wastes water through high evaporation rates;
watering in the evening and leaving the turf or plants wet
overnight encourages disease.
d)
Adjust the water schedule to seasonal water demand.
e) For most landscaping plants, water deeply and
infrequently, rather than lightly and often. This encourages
deep roots.
f) Mow turf to the proper height depending on type.
Decrease nitrogen fertilizers to improve drought resistance.
Aerate turf soil and dethatch the turf to improve water
penetration.
g)
Control weeds to reduce competition for the water.
h) Water low to the ground rather than high in the air
to reduce evaporation losses and more accurately project the
water to the desired area.
i) Use mulches to retain moisture in the soil around
plants and shrubs.
5.6.2
Retrofits. The following retrofit suggestions will
help reduce water usage associated with landscaping and
irrigation:
a) If watering is done manually, install an adjustable
sprayer on the hose. If appropriate, install one that shuts off
automatically when the lever is released.
b) If an automatic irrigation system exists, install
updated sensors and controls. Install a timer to automatically
activate sprinklers according to a set schedule.
c) Install soil tensiometers to monitor soil moisture.
Tensiometers can be wired to the irrigation system's controller
to activate the sprinklers when the soil is dry.
5.6.3
Replacements. Replacing an older sprinkler system or a
manual one with an updated automated system can save large
quantities of water. One replacement option is to replace the
sprinkler heads. Sprinkler head design should be consistent with
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