May 4, 2011 (La Mesa) – Helix Water District Board of Directors took action today to rescind Drought Response Level 2 water conditions which were enacted in 2009, thus eliminating mandatory watering restrictions for the District’s residents.

“This year’s near record snowpack and abundant local rainfall has allowed us to drop restrictions,” stated General Manager Mark Weston. “In spite of abundant supplies, about 90% of our water is imported from northern California or the Colorado River. Therefore, reducing water demands and enhancing local supplies remains a top priority for the District.”

Options include a Valentine’s Day cooking class and tips on everything from growing vegetables to replacing water-thirsty lawns

Rancho San Diego, CA—Want to try sweetheart tamale making for two?  Or learn about straw bale construction, shop at a “March madness” plant sale, and discover how to plant an attractive low-water landscape after the lawn is gone? These are among the classes and events coming up at the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College.

Review by Miriam Raftery
 

July 17, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Thirsty for ideas to use less water yet still have attractive landscaping?

Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest (Cool Springs Press, 2010) offers a wealth of practical solutions ideal for homeowners in San Diego County, where drought, cutbacks in water supplies and rising water rates have become a way of life. Editor Diana Maranhao sought advice from four experts: Nan Sterman, Mary Irish, Judith Phillips, and Joe Lamp’l. All are garden writers; the first three have expertise in specific geographic areas (California, Arizona, New Mexico) while Lamp’l provides green gardening tips.

Event highlights water conservation, cultural conservation, and Cuyamaca College’s biggest plant sale of the year

April 3, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) -- On Saturday, April 24, from 9am-4pm, Cuyamaca College’s campus will bloom with activity as three of its on-campus venues—the Ornamental Horticulture Department, the Water Conservation Garden, and the Heritage of the Americas Museum—invite the public to celebrate spring at their 17th annual Spring Garden Festival.

“Conservation in Bloom” is the theme at this family festival that includes tips on green living. Admission and parking are free. A range of crafters and vendors from throughout San Diego County will be featured, in addition to activities ranging from live music to a birds of prey show.

October 10, 2009 (El Cajon)--Do watering restrictions put a damper on your gardening enthusiasm? The City of El Cajon’s Community Development Department hosts a workshop Tuesday afternoon on how to landscape your home during this time of heightened water conservation.  To author and gardening designer Scott Calhoun, working with drought conditions is exciting and can take gardens in new unexpected directions. Hiss presentation is not just about planting tougher plants and using more efficient irrigation methods, it’s all about creating stunning beauty in harsh situations.

This class showcases some of the dynamic and thrifty strategies he uses in the hottest and driest environments in the country, and get some ideas on how to apply them in your own garden. The workshop will be held Tuesday, October 13th, in the City Council Chambers ladjacent to City Hall at 200 Civic Center Way, in El Cajon. Registration is 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the workshop is from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Water Smart Pipeline has new message option

RANCHO SAN DIEGO, CA—The Water Conservation Garden’s Water Smart Pipeline is now accessible to the public 24 hours a day. Callers may record their questions day or night on the “Pipeline’s” voicemail, and will get a return phone call during Pipeline hours from local gardening expert, Nan Sterman, author of the California Gardener’s Guide, Volume 2, and host of the television gardening program, “A Growing Passion”.

June 2, 2009 (El Cajon)--On June 1, the City of San Diego’s mandatory water restrictions go into effect. http://www.sandiego.gov/water/conservation/drought/droughtlevels2.shtml.
By July 1, most other water districts in San Diego County will also be implementing restrictions. http://www.sdcwa.org/manage/droughtordinance_agencies.phtml. Fortunately,
the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College has plenty of tools to help you deal with impending water restrictions.

May 12, 2009 (La Mesa)-- – With the water restriction use being enforced on June 1ST Grossmont Shopping Center is hosting a Learn To Conserve event on Saturday, May 16TH in Macy’s Courtyard. The event will run from 10a.m. – 2p.m. Event partners will provide tips for water and electricity conservation and host fun demonstrations.

April 28, 2009 (El Cajon)--The Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College celebrated its tenth birthday on Saturday, April 25. Garden Executive Director Marty Eberhardt commented on the remarkable timing of the event. “Just two days ago, the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors declared a Level 2 Drought Alert, which means that retail agencies will soon be instituting water restrictions. This is exactly the kind of situation that the founding agencies foresaw.”

April 4, 2009 (San Diego)—With water districts urging consumers to cut outdoor water usage by 40% amid the drought, homeowners are left wondering how to maintain an attractive yard without being water hogs—and paying hefty prices to be levied against heavy water users. The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) offers some recommendations for consumers to make smart choices and protect the environment even with mandated water reductions. A press release from the CLCA states, “This advice can help your landscape survive this year’s drought and help you prepare for predicted future water shortages.”

Learn How to Weather the Water Challenge at Earth Day April 19 By Sylvia Hampton April 1, 2009 (San Diego)--San Diego County’s biggest environmental challenge is WATER. We live in a desert but act like we live on a tropical island. Our supply is decreasing while our population is increasing. Climate Change is not helping. When we bought a new home in 1996, my husband and I were told we had to have a grass lawn or we would be in violation of the code of conduct for Scripps Ranch residents. Our neighbor across the street ignored that and put in a smart drought-resistant landscape. He got a letter or two in the beginning but ignored them, too. Smart man.