As California endures a statewide drought emergency, the State Parks Department has cut back significantly on watering thousands of plants at the Malibu Lagoon.
Though the lagoon reopened last March after a 9-month restoration project, there are approximately 68,000 plants that were re-planted as part of the project. They continue to require irrigation from an onsite sprinkler system until becoming fully “established.”
Between November and January, the state was able to cut back water usage by nearly 50 percent at the site, according to information provided by District Supt. Craig Sap (see breakdown below). Between Nov. 25 and Jan. 27, approximately 11,221 gallons of water were used to nourish the plants each day. The water is purchased from LA County Waterworks District 29.
“The governor’s proclamation was 20 percent [water use] reduction, and we’ve far exceeded that by going 50 to 70 percent reduction,” Sap said.
Currently, plants are being watered once a day for 3 to 8 minutes, according to Sap. Before the latest reductions, plants at the lagoon were being watered twice a day for a similar period of time. Up until last summer, Sap said irrigation happened twice a day between 6 to 16 minutes. But as the plants grow and become further established, reducing onsite water use becomes easier.
On days when it rains, like this Thursday and Friday, Sap said no irrigation occurs.
“We have a ‘smart’ irrigation system that uses low volume/high efficiency sprinkler heads together with controllers that monitor evaporation rates and humidity levels to only provide that amount of water necessary for plant viability,” Sap said. “Additionally, the system we use senses high humidity and will not activate if it is raining.”
Once those thousands of plants become self-sustaining, the state plans on removing the sprinklers.
“The irrigation system at Malibu Lagoon is strictly temporary as it was always intended to provide supplemental water only until the native plants were established after which the system would be removed,” Sap added.
Watering reduction since last July:
July 24-Sept.24: 23,190 gallons per day (3,100 cubic feet)
Sept. 24-Nov. 25: 17,953 gallons per day (2,400 cubic feet)
Nov. 25-Jan 27: 11,221 gallons per day (1,500 cubic feet)
