Introducing the “New Norm”, sustainable landscapes becoming the new normal.

You may have heard of the term “the new norm” in the context of the current drought and water conservation. The water supply challenges California face

requires a fresh look at what we have done in the past, and improvements and changes we can make to ensure a sustainable water supply in the future. So, what exactly does the “new norm” refer to? The “New Norm” is the desire to

permanently change habits from water and energy intensive traditional yards, to a watershed-based system. This idea promotes a collaborative approach for

managing water, soil and energy through water use efficiency, improving water quality, reducing wasteful runoff, mitigating climate change and protecting habitat.

In Orange County, CA, we receive on average 14 inches of rain per year. A

typical weather scenario is a big winter rainstorm that drops a couple of inches, all at once. Instead of directing all this water into storm drains to get rid of it as quickly

as possible, it makes a lot of sense to collect the water, storing it for later use, or letting water filter back into the ground, replenishing vegetation and ground water

aquifers. The more rainwater stored in the soil, the less additional water has to be added to your garden throughout the rest of the year. The saying “Slow it, Spread

it, Sink it” aptly describes the “new norm” thinking when it comes to rainwater.

The “new norm” includes everything from water use efficiency, green roofs, street trees, swales, trenches and berms, rain water harvesting, sponge gardens, curb cuts that allows water to flow into swales,

concrete cuts and permeable pavement, composting, chemical free gardening, mulching

and climate appropriate, low water use plants. Most of these low-tech measures are

inexpensive, easy and can be scaled up or down, depending on need and site characteristics.

 

 

Street trees provide multiple benefits including improvement of air-, water- and soil quality and the reduction of storm water runoff. The trees provide habitat

and the canopy slows down the raindrops, giving the soil more time to absorb more rainwater. The shade factor and aesthetic values of trees are also important and

property values are generally greater on green, leafy streets. Permeable pavement, curb cuts and

concrete cuts are all different strategies to assist water to infiltrate into the ground, which reduces

urban runoff. In addition, the soil effectively traps suspended solids and filters pollutants from the

water. These measures goes hand in hand with swales and rain gardens/sponge gardens which

are low-lying spaces or depressions where water accumulates and slowly filtrate into the

ground. If high water use plants are desired in a garden, plant them in, or near a rain garden!

A berm, low tech and surprisingly effective, is a low “wall” formation made

of soil that help direct water to a desirable spot for infiltration. Berms can also prevent water runoff. To construct a

berm, all that is needed is a shovel and a pair of gloves.

There are many options when considering harvesting rainwater. Rain barrels

and cisterns of various sizes are used to store water for use at a later time. Another option is to dig a trench, fill it with wood chips, and then cover it with soil. The

wood chips acts as a sponge that help absorb and hold the rainwater. The wood

 

 

chips will decompose into rich, organic soil over the course of time, which is an additional benefit. Healthy, living, carbon rich soils should be considered a strategy

for an increasingly dry future and erratic weather patterns as it is estimated that every 1% increase in soil carbon (organic matter) increases the soil’s ability to hold

an additional 60,000 gallons of water per acre.

Another fun, easy-to-do activity to create healthy soil is composting. Put

kitchen scraps (look up what should be composted and what shouldn’t) and green waste in a composter, and some

time later there is incredibly rich soil that your plants will love! There are many different contained, above ground

composters on the market, a necessity in an urban setting. Healthy soil makes for healthy plants, people and produce!

If there is bare soil in your garden, make sure to cover the dirt with 2 – 4 inches of mulch like wood chips, grass clippings,

leaf debris or bark chips. The mulch helps retain moisture in the soil by cooling the soil

and reducing evaporation. During hot days, evaporation can be reduced by up to 40%!

Mulch also prevents weeds and improves the soil quality by ensuring soil moisture for

the microbial soil life. Other benefits of sustainable landscapes

are less maintenance and reduced use of pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides. Healthy

soil and healthy plants rarely need the added “help” of chemicals, which is much healthier

for children and pets, and of course the bees, birds and butterflies!

 

 

Our wonderful climate is often described as “Mediterranean”, hot and dry during the summer with mild winters and some rain. California native plants and

other “climate appropriate” plants have adapted to our climate and will thrive with some basic care. Native plants do best when

planted in the fall so they can benefit from the natural winter rains while getting established. They require extra water during

the first year, but unless there is a drought, additional water will more likely kill them.

Note that many native plants go dormant in the heat of summer. California native plants

are not only colorful and gorgeous, they also create habitat and provide food sources for small birds, bees and butterflies. If you choose to plant California native

plants, your garden will literally buzz with life and beauty!

As Southern California residents, we have long been used to unrestricted access to high quality irrigation water for our thirsty turf lawns. The reality is that

California no longer has enough water to satisfy all the various demands on the water supply. New regulations are expected that will permanently restrict wasteful

use of irrigation water. “The new norm” is essentially about readjusting our relationship to certain natural limits and learning how to stretch the available water

supply as far as possible so we can continue to live in beauty and with a sense of abundance.

For more information on upcoming California Friendly Landscaping classes, rain water harvesting classes, the Phase II Water

Shortage and helpful water saving tips, please visit www.buenapark.com/waterconservation.

You can also call the Buena Park Utilities Division at (714) 562-3655.