Water-Wise Landscaping at Cedar Ridge Estates

IN SKAGIT COUNTY, we live in a beautiful, thriving area, and water is one of our most essential resources. We must manage this limited resource carefully to ensure adequate water for human needs and the environment.

With our plentiful rainfall, it’s easy to take water for granted, but we must each do our part to use water wisely. Doing so not only benefits our community, but also the plants, animals, and fish that depend on water for survival.

Most water conservation is simple and inexpensive — a little common sense goes a long way. Please choose the best conservation tips for you and start saving water today!

Outdoor Conservation Tips
Outdoors is a great place to focus on water conservation. Landscape watering consumes the greatest percentage of outdoor water, whether a traditional lawn, shrubs, or garden.

Thankfully, there is a lot you can do to cut down on landscape watering. The following tips can help reduce water use and ensure a healthy, beautiful landscape.

If neighbors are considering a shared food-growing space, our community garden guide connects water planning with site selection, crops and ongoing care.

Water Effectively

• Water only when needed. One inch of water a week, including rainfall, is all your lawn needs.
• Match sprinklers to the area being watered to avoid watering streets and driveways.
• Water in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation.
• Install drip irrigation or soaker hoses in your garden areas. These provide a slow, steady supply of water to the root zone.
• Use watering timers that automatically shut off sprinklers.
• Collect rainwater in a barrel and use it to water non-edible plants. Check Skagit PUD’s current rain-barrel program for price and availability.

Improve Soil

• Improve your soil by adding compost. Compost increases the ability of soil to hold water.
• Apply surface mulch (organic matter) around plants, which reduces evaporation.
• Aerate your lawn annually if you have compacted soil. Aeration allows water to get to the roots.

Plant Smart

• Use native, water-wise plants. These plants require less water and less care.
• Match plants to your yard conditions. Many plants die because they are planted in the wrong location.
• Group plants according to water needs. Grouping makes watering much more efficient.
• Plant in the spring or fall when watering requirements are lower.
• Minimize the amount of lawn. Lawns require at least twice as much water as most plants.

Give runoff a useful destination

Water conservation is also about what happens after rain reaches a roof, path or driveway. Skagit Conservation District’s local resources describe low-impact development as protecting native soil and vegetation and managing stormwater near its source. A rain garden can be part of that approach, but it needs an appropriate site and design.

Before digging, work through the practical questions: Where does water currently flow? What lies downhill? Are utilities, a septic system, a foundation, a slope or a protected wetland nearby? A photograph is inspiration, not an installation plan. Use Skagit Conservation District’s stormwater resources to identify the right next step.

A short seasonal check

• Walk the yard after rain and observe where water pools or runs onto paving.
• Check soil moisture before turning on irrigation, and look for leaks or misdirected sprinkler heads.
• Group new plants by their needs and keep a simple record of what thrives in each part of the yard.
• For a rain barrel, check the screen, overflow route and winter care instructions. Confirm current equipment availability directly with Skagit PUD.