JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
When it comes to rainfall and lawn care, the grass is not always greener on the other side for Texas residents. Sometimes, there aren't many things residents can do with the amount of water they are allowed to use during dry months.
However, there are measures people can take when treating lawns to maximize their water usage while reducing the amount of water they waste.
Members from the 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron suggested xeriscaping - the creation or adjustment of one's landscape to require little water - which they said is gaining popularity.
Xeriscaping is applied by using soil, turf grass, mulch and plants that best accommodate their regional weather conditions.
"A common misconception people have is xeriscaping automatically means the use of cactus and rocks," Bruce Dschuden, 902nd CES resource efficiency manager, said.
"While cactus and rocks are great tools for xeriscaping, design choices are not limited to them."
Although St. Augustine and Bermuda grasses are widely used in Texas, they lack some of the xeriscape features of other grasses. For example, Buffalo grass is a Texas-native alternative that has excellent drought resistance and can stand well against high temperatures. Zoysia grass is another alternative that is versatile, and maintains well during a drought and in the shade.
Mulches are a principal component of xeriscaping that help retain water in soils, and are a great addition to plants and shrubbery.
Xeriscape plants also require less watering - one deep soaking every two or three weeks - as opposed to the more frequent watering needed for non-xeric plants.
Planning and designing one's landscape is perhaps the most important xeriscaping principle.
"There are a lot of options out there," Dschuden said. "You just need to be educated as a consumer. Any of your big box stores like Home Depot or Lowes, and local nurseries as well, will help you get in tune with your plants' needs."
Dschuden also suggested the Internet as a perfect launching pad for anyone wanting to look up registries about different types of plants including grasses, shrubs and trees.
Considering Texas' susceptibility to drought, especially recovering from the driest one-year period from August 2010 to July 2011, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph is on board to reduce water usage.
Ruben Ramos, 902nd CES utilities manager, said JBSA is working on a landscaping policy. In fact, some xeric efforts under Air Education and Training Command have already been exercised.
The new Randolph Air Force Personnel Center, Bldg. 667, for example, has some water-efficient design features.
More buildings across Randolph as well as other JBSA installations are likely to implement water-saving design features, in turn reducing the amount of energy it takes to pump the water across the base.
Since 2007, the Air Force requires an annual 2 percent reduction in energy usage, Ramos said.
To meet these needs, Dschuden asked for the help of base residents to change their mindset when it comes to energy usage. However, his consultation applies to all beyond the gates of Randolph.
"Texas is a semi-arid climate, and xeriscaping can reduce water consumption by 25 percent, which is significant in a drought situation," Dschuden said. "Xeriscaping might tend to be more of a dollar-saving plan for homeowners, but when you cut back your dollar amount in energy costs, you actually help save resources.
"As a civilian or active-duty military member, saving resources is the right thing to do," he said. "Xeriscaping is one small part in helping change the culture of how we use our resources."