2009 - -

Longmont, CO

"Tree City USA"
"A Bicycle-Friendly Community"
"Overwaterer Extraordinaire"

You Are Not Looking at a Windshield

You are looking at a sidewalk (dry, I know) decorated with a tag from a reusable shopping bag (i.e. litter).
Thankfully, the tag is not adhered to the sidewalk (or a windshield–tacky).
But the irony is too great to ignore.
(No, this photo is not staged. Yes, I discarded the tag after taking the photo.)

Why Sprinkle, When You Can Geyser?

Proper watering technique:
1st - Shoot six-foot streams into the air.
2nd - Turn the sprinkler off on and in 45-second intervals.
3rd - Yell "whee" as you run around dodging sprinklers.

The Time Lapse

Initially, I thought the offense above was more amusing than egregious.

But several hours later, when we stopped at the exact same gas station, I noticed that the overwatering was still occurring.

And being the kind person that I am, I thought perhaps the wet pavement outside the Exit was due to cars shaking off the excess water from their bath.
But the sidewalks always give it away.

The Grass Is Greener In Santa Barbara

And it's not because the city is overwatering. This minor drip drip in a flower bed, plus one wet sidewalk was all I could detect of overzealous sprinkling. The temperature soared (far hotter than Boulder) and still the grass was greener and the sidewalks drier.

This Way to the Pool

Please rinse off first.

The Grass is Greener...On Golf Courses

And not because they're necessarily pouring excessive amounts of water everywhere...any more.

In the second New York Times article on the topic in less than 3 months, today's paper says more and more people are turning to golf course grounds managers for expert advice on achieving pretty green lawns without overwatering. Check out "On the Fairway, New Lessons in Saving Water" by Leslie Kaufman.

Also see: The Future: Sensors

My Own Parents' House

Nobody's perfect.

The Corner Lot

Despite their absence on this site, residential sprinklers are just as guilty of spraying passersby as their commercial counterparts. And if you're a runner, 1 out of 10 times you're greatful for a little spray. The other 9 times, oncoming traffic is more inviting.

The Reason My Shirt is Wet...

Pretty much everyday this week I've arrived at work slightly damp--and it's not just because it's bloody hot here in Boulder.

So technically these photos showcase "Watering the Parking Lot," but I ask you, why do parking lot medians need manicured grass in the first place?

Free Car Wash!

While I was busy photographing the formation of the above lake, my car was given a free wash courtesy of the other grassy median.

Thanks WaterWorks!

The View From Someone's Rearview Window

Yes, this picture was taken from a car window, with an iPhone.
Citizen journalism at its finest.

An ironic note: Earlier in the week I saw a technician testing the sprinklers at a neighoring building for, what looked like, a similar overzealous problem. Hopefully, he's making the rounds.

An Impromptu Waterpark

This morning's commute came complete with a four-alarm sprinkler attack.
At one point I was caught in between two sprays;
I thought my camera might be a goner.
A boy on his bicycle with a skateboard in his backpack came to a dead stop
to wait for the water to pass.
And yes, in the fourth picture, that's a rainbow.

The Walk of Shame

Coincidentally, today's (Sunday, July 5) Daily Camera had an article about Boulder and neighborhing towns that are utilizing new sprinkler technology to alleviate wasted water.
The highlights include:

Sprinklers linked to weather stations.
Sprinklers that turn off when it's raining. (Genius!)
Updating the systems every 10 years with the latest technology.
"Low-flow technology, improved sprinkler head design and drought-tolerant hybrid grass seeds."

Source:
Daily Camera: Rain, new technology help reduce parks' water use, By Elizabeth Miller

Between a Rock & a Hard Place

In this sprinkler's defense it's either broken or has been turned off for "budgetary reasons."
Or perhaps, its inactivity is a reward for a job well done as the overgrown shrubbery surrounding the rock and curb are in beautiful condition.

The New Migration Pattern

Bike to Work Day

Arguably, Colorado's "Bike to Work Day," (which for some reason is separate from the rest of the country's BtoW day) is one of the greenest days of the year.

Needless to say the bike paths worked hard today.
They worked up a sweat.
They deserved a shower.
It's only fair.

The Problem with Timers

The previous night in Boulder it rained...a lot.

The day before that, rain.

Last week, yeah, lots of rain.

And I just picked one spot of this street to photograph.
At least three other blocks had offenders.

Wind + High Angle = Wet Face, Sidewalk, Street

The problem here isn't necessarily the positioning of the sprinkler, it's the angle with which it's spewing. The wind picked it up at the top of its trajectory and blew water everywhere...including all over my face. You can see the blowback in the picture.

But enough about the erratic sprinkler. Poor, abandoned bike.

The Future: Sensors

It'd sure be a shame to end this blog so soon after its creation, but...

An article in Thursday's The New York Times discussed sensor technology that is helping golf courses water only thirsty plots of grass. One technology profiled, UgMo, is working on residential landscaping (UgMo's website has a noncommittal "coming soon" for this section which buys me a little time), but is already set up for other playing fields, including baseball & football fields.

NY TIMES: "On Golf Courses, Sensors Help Save Water"