 conserveh2oorg news summer 2009   is your lawn earning its keep  ah the american lawn  it is as much a part of our national tradition as apple pie and baseball look in any community across the nation and you are likely to see lawns incorporated into our home landscapes parks recreation fields and more and why not when planted with thoughtful design lawns can be a beautiful and practical addition to the landscape lawns can also reduce erosion create a natural cooling effect and absorb dust and pollen but they also require more water and maintenance than other plants more watering can be efficient water use in the portland metro area is at its highest during the summer due to outdoor watering that s one reason irrigation  whether it s a single sprinkler attached to a hose or a sophisticated underground system is a key component to your water conservation efforts water conservation heros we salute you  hillary recently wrote us to share how her girls madison and emma are serious about conserving water they fell in love with your shower timer now they race each morning to better their shower time said hillary as a parent i love that they are more aware of how much water they were using do you have a water conservation hero in your home we would love to hear from you  we will be at several local nurseries this summer to answer your water efficient landscaping questions stop by our booth and get your free watering gauge kit and other water efficient gardening resources     june 13  dennis seven dees  lake oswego  june 13  drakes seven dees june 20  al s garden center  gresham  june 27  al s garden center  sherwood  july 18  portland nursery  stark st together we can make a great impact in our water conservation efforts here are 5 simple tips that we all can practice this summer 1  water before 10 am or after 6 pm when temperatures are cooler and the air is calmer 2  water 1 inch per week  on average lawns need 1 inch of water per week though you may need to water more or less depending on the weather 3  adjust your sprinklers so that they re watering your plants and lawn  and not the sidewalk or street 4  check your irrigation system for leaks or broken lines  even a small leak can be a big water waster 5  use a drip system or soaker hose to apply water directly to your plant s root system learn more outdoor conservation tips   the consortium provides planning and management support for the portland metro region s municipal water supplies contact us   copyright 2008 all rights reserved  summer 2009  