The Lawn
Thunder Turf is its name, and water conservation is its game! This native turfgrass mixture used at the Ditch’s lawn is a combination of Buffalo Grass, Blue Grama, and Curly Mesquite Grass. Thanks to their deeper roots and lower water requirements, these native grasses need less water than conventional lawn grasses such as St. Augustine.
Planting native grasses and/or a Thunder Turf lawn is a significant step in conserving our precious drinking water. It’s also a small step in restoring the once vast prairie ecosystem, of which less than 2% is remaining. For an initial investment of water, time, and effort, you can also get a native lawn or “pocket prairie” that is beautiful and extremely drought tolerant. Either can be a perfect base in which to plant wildflowers, too.
Rainwater Harvesting
For centuries, people have depended on rainwater harvesting for various uses, including household needs, landscaping, livestock care, and agriculture. Before large centralized water supply systems were developed, rainwater was collected from roofs and stored in tanks called cisterns. However, with the advent of reliable water treatment and distribution systems, along with more affordable well-drilling equipment, rainwater harvesting fell into disuse, despite its benefits of providing pure, soft, and low-sodium water. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in rainwater harvesting in Texas and other areas due to the rising environmental and economic costs associated with centralized water systems and well drilling. The health benefits of rainwater, along with the potential cost savings from implementing rainwater collection systems, have further fueled this growing interest.
The cistern at the Ditch can hold nearly 3,400 gallons of rainwater, which is used to irrigate specific areas throughout the site.
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