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Monrovia, CA

Any other California growers concerned about this possibility? 20% reduction in usage is encouraged but it could go to rationing. Water is about the only way I can make it through a season without frying. I'm looking into patch shade structures.

3/1/2009 2:20:50 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Grey Water usage?

3/1/2009 2:41:33 PM

San Diego

we are being threatened in san diego too. Not sure what the future holds, but water is key for us down here too. We can use shade cloth, but to cloth my whole patch would be kind of expensive if I really set it up right. Not gona spend that much money right now. I might be lucky, I'm in a mobile home park compared to a private home. Private homes in our area are going to be patroled by water enforcement people who hand out tickets to houses no in compliance.

3/1/2009 3:38:53 PM

San Diego

"not in compliance" is what I meant to type:)

3/1/2009 3:39:51 PM

Mulino, Oregon

Maybe you guys should empty the multitude of swimming pools and use them for water. You can certainly have some of our water up here in Oregon, we've got plenty.

3/1/2009 4:04:11 PM

Monrovia, CA

If I had a swimming pool I would consider it! I am surrounded by them though. I can remember the police helicoptor patroling overhead looking for standing water after it rained. They were worried about mosquitos and West Nile Virus. Now they'll be patroling for running water? It's definately misting system time.

3/1/2009 4:18:09 PM

huntsburg,ohio

guess its nice to live in the country i just dug a pond and have all the water i need.Jerry

3/1/2009 4:38:04 PM

NILES , CALIF

Where I live in calif, my water company asked if i would
reduce by 20%,my water usage, but not mandatory; I got it figured out, no bathing until sunday, no watering my lawn.
That way my pumpkin gets all the water it needs,and I stink a little bit.

3/1/2009 4:44:16 PM

Roselle, IL [email protected]

There is some new concepts to capture rain water and reuse it. I hope to be installing some of these rain water harvest systems locally. Check out www.rainxchange.com

3/1/2009 5:21:57 PM

Eugene,OR

We have a 15% voluntary reduction being called for currently. On April 26th we will get a revised mandate depending on how much rainfall we receive this spring. I'm hoping to grow 4 plants this year, instead of the 11 I grew last year.

3/1/2009 10:01:28 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

A friend in the SF suburbs is on manditory 40%, she's praying they don't go 50. At fifty she'll barely be able to flush her toilet, take a shower a few times a week, be using paper plates to cut dishwashing, and taking her clothes to a laundromat. Her postage stamp lawn will be dead.

I used to live in Colorado Springs and they had retirees with videocameras to document you sprinkling your lawn at off times or water running down the curb. First time was warning (which they quit in the first week because of people meeting them at door with shotgun), second was 100, third was 250, fourth was 500 and shut off your water. And you could run through all four in a week and not know it until your water was shut off. It would cost $850 PLUS reconnect fee to get it back on. Oh and they started taxing you for runoff and will fine you for a rainbarrel now. And they still have most covenants mandating Kentucky Bluegrass, the thirstiest grass known, for high desert and you have to fight hard to get a waiver to Xeriscape.

I may be in nowhere but we have all the water we want IF we pay to pump it out of the ground. I kinda like that, and I can also let my bermuda grass go dead if I want without code enforcement on my rear.

3/2/2009 10:18:07 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

The Rockies are full of water this year...

My mom used to live in a closed neighborhood full of retirees wearing plaid shorts, who have nothing better to do than walk around and report their neighbors for any stupid little thing. I'm glad we got her out of there, and hope that I never have to deal with such close-minded people again (good luck).

It's breathtaking to think that our government agencies have enough largess to be able to use helicopters to patrol for standing water. The only good news (yes, good news indeed) is that they'll soon be completely bankrupt and dead and gone.

3/2/2009 11:50:21 AM

Westford, MA

Has anyone tried any of the polymers that absorb moisture, XX% times more than their weight in water, then and release it to the plant as needed?
You add a teaspoon or so to X sized container.
I ONCE added "a FEW Extra" teaspoonS, to a container, TOO much.
After the next heavy rain the dirt in the container was being forced out by a blob like gelatinous substance,
the polymer chrystals.
They seem to absorb quite a lot.
Don't know if that may help w/water ban??
kevin

3/3/2009 11:02:59 AM

Jim, don't be so quick to give away our water.

Irrigation restrictions were instituted during the drought of 1992, and some people in the Molalla River watershed were not allowed to irrigate (based on age of water rights); regardless if they were pumping from the river, one of its tributaries, surface water (ponds), or well. If you were drawing from the hydraulic flow of the watershed, you were in the mix. It can happen even in "perpetually wet" Oregon.

3/3/2009 12:02:38 PM

Sacramento, Ca

All of this water rationing is a crock if you ask me. The reservoirs in my neck of the woods are fuller now than they were at this same time last year. Also, I have to pay for water (how crazy is that) and if I have to pay for it you can bet I'll use as much as I feel like. Sorry for the rant but it's a sore subject for me!

3/21/2009 11:20:11 AM