Due to ongoing drought conditions that exist throughout the west coast, water conservation efforts have been put in place that apply to all residents of drought stricken communities. This means that areas that might typically get enough rain to be services without issue through localized reservoirs have seen consistent rainfall levels be reduced for multiple year timeframes, bringing reservoir levels down past critical points. An estimated amount of water is necessary to have on hand in local reservoirs before a state of emergency is declared due to the fact that populations within those areas depend upon water for drinking, as well as for crop irrigation. When those levels reach a critical point where it appears as though there could not be enough water to service the community, emergency conservation measures are put in place and must be followed by all residents, in order to avoid fines and potentially the complete shutoff of water services provided by the city or county. Las Vegas is no exception to these rules, and has been declared a drought area for several years due to water levels in Lake Mead dropping year over year. Lake Mead provides water to the entire population of metropolitan Las Vegas, as well as areas in California. In order to keep water reservoir levels as high as possible, emergency measures have been taken to restrict water usage by residents in the form of landscape watering and several other potential water wasting activities like car washing. By forcing residents to only water their lawns during specific timeframes and for fixed amounts of time, water is conserved. The issues are that the amounts of watering that are allowed are not sufficient to keep grass healthy in a hot, desert climate like Las Vegas. In the summer when the temperatures consistently are in the triple digits, grass needs increased water amounts in order to remain healthy. The imposed restriction s do not allow for sufficient amounts of water to be used for a healthy lawn, which will eventually cause your living lawn to suffer and then die.
Las Vegas offers incentives to homeowners and business owners who take steps to conserve water, instead of attempting to continue the same types of activities that have been deemed as acceptable outside of drought conditions, but unacceptable during times of water shortage. The main focus of these incentives is the push for water-smart landscaping, desert landscaping and alternatives to living plants. The Southern Nevada Water Authority offers a specific plan to provide rebates to residents who are willing to remove their current sod in favor of artificial turf or water conserving landscaping elements. The program offers a two dollar per square foot of grass removed from properties up to 5,000 square feet and one dollar per square foot for areas beyond 5,000 square feet with a maximum award within a financial year of $300,000. Specifics of this effort are that each square foot of grass replaced with water smart landscaping saves an average of 55 gallons of water per year. Over time, this rebate program has replaced 181 million square feet of grass in Las Vegas with water smart landscaping solutions, and saved billions of gallons of water. The program involves an application process and review by SNWA in order to be approved for the awards. The program can be referenced here: https://www.snwa.com/rebates/wsl.html from the SNWA website, where you can also find free landscape sample designs and a Plant Search tool which will help you decide which types of plants you can use in order to achieve a water conscious landscape.
One of the most popular aspects that is used in Las Vegas desert landscaping installations is artificial turf, which consists of a synthetic plastic product formed to appear like blades of grass. These fake grass blades are attached to a water permeable backing during a factory process which forms the blades by melting plastic colored pellets through small holes in metal plates. These strands of plastic are trimmed to appear to look like grass, and are affixed permanently to the backing material, before being rolled into large, continual pieces. These rolls are quite large in order to minimize the amount of seams which must be joined during the installation process, which would present a weak spot over time. These manufactured products come in numerous colors and thicknesses, in an attempt to mimic the look and feel of different strains of grass that makeup typical lawns. Nearly any type of grass is available in a synthetic form, offering homeowners the ability to have the lawn of their dreams even in areas like Las Vegas where this type of grass would not typically grow very well. There are also several artificial grass companies that offer specialized products that will have features that are catering for needs and desires like pet urine odor control as well as different backings that will perform better in different climates.
The installation of your new Las Vegas artificial turf is the most important part of the process, if you are to remain happy with the look and feel of your synthetic grass over time. While there is little chance that you will experience discoloration or fading as the quality of synthetic grass products has been dramatically improved over the years, a faulty installation can lead to problems with the way the grass lays, the feel of the grass, and even the seams coming apart. Las Vegas is a harsh climate as the sun continually effects anything that is a permanent outdoor fixture, your grass being no exception. A quality installation, on the other hand, will see years of maintenance free pleasure without issues.
The process of installing artificial turf involves several crucial steps. First, the existing sod and plants must be completely removed from the installation area. The ground is prepared through a series of steps that involve raking and forming the ground into the shape that is desired. The sub-base is cleaned and prepared through the installation of barriers surrounding the area where artificial turf will be attached, and is smoothed and then compacted. A weed barrier will be installed to prevent any weeds from growing underneath the artificial turf, and then a composite material will be spread across the entire area in order to present a cushion and give the artificial grass a real feel. This material is spread evenly and compacted as well. The artificial turf itself is laid out and stretched as necessary, seams are joined and overlap is trimmed at the edges. Nails or stakes are used to secure the turf to the ground, with the blades of grass being raked around them so as not to give an appearance of divots. Careful attention is paid to make sure that the nail heads do not catch the blades of grass, using a special technique that lifts the blades around the heads of the nails. The grass is then raked to stand up any blades and remove any look of patterning. Silica sand is spread throughout the installation and brushed into the grass in order to give it a fluffed look, then watered down and brushed again to provide a stable base that will not blow away in wind. Final inspections are done and the artificial turf lawn is yours to enjoy for years to come.
Saving water by participating in the program within the Las Vegas valley to conserve is only one aspect of the positive that is achieved through the installation of artificial turf or desert landscaping. The yard is now maintenance free, which will allow you to enjoy a perfectly manicured lawn all year long without the time necessary to care for a living lawn, and the costs associated with paying landscapers to mow and trim. You will find that you will see significant savings on water bills over time, as one of the biggest sources of water usage in a typical Las Vegas residence is allocated to the watering of plants in the landscape. Because Las Vegas gets so little rain, it is nearly impossible for plants to thrive without a significant amount of water every day, this amount going up in the summertime. When the necessity to water is removed, you will see the bills drop every month. In addition to the savings on water, the awards of cash in exchange for removing sod, and the lack of maintenance that will provide you with happiness in the future, you are also improving the value of your home which will potentially be recovered when it is able to be sold at a higher price than previously. Las Vegas residents and transplants to the area are looking for carefree lifestyles, and are seeking the ability to not be tied down by the typical chores of homeownership. Many retirees who come to Las Vegas have little interest in caring for a lawn, and view the installation of artificial turf as a significant plus when considering their purchase of real estate. Homes which are improved to be carefree simply sell faster and for more money than those that are not. Improvements like artificial grass dog runs, play areas and putting greens add value to the home in general
If you are interested in learning more about water conservation in the Las Vegas area, and artificial turf installations from our company, contact Desert Greenscapes through our website today. The estimates are always free, and the work will be guaranteed for ten years.