In an effort to help curb the overwatering of lawns, the Lower Colorado River Authority and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service have teamed together to offer homeowners and businesses a new free tool. Called WaterMyYard, the Web-based program offers local recommendations on how long to run irrigation systems. Residents in Austin, Cedar Park, Dripping Springs, Lakeway, Marble Falls and Pflugerville can sign up to receive weekly updates from the free service by text or email. According to a press release about the program, “Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service developed WaterMyYard to simplify information from the TexasET Network – a network made up of 43 weather stations across the state that monitors evapotranspiration (ET), or the total amount of water plants need to grow and develop. As part of the program, LCRA modified six Hydromet gauges around Austin to provide localized information. The Hydromet stations have a new sensor – called a pyranometer – to measure solar radiation in addition to recording temperature, relative humidity and wind speed needed to calculate ET.” More information and the opportunity to sign up for personalized recommendations is available on the WaterMyYard website.
Elizabeth Pagano is the editor of the Austin Monitor. More by Elizabeth Pagano