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20 | THE COLONY NEWS | MARCH 2022 | COMMITTEE NEWS DROUGHT The La Niña winter (which means drier and warmer) as anticipated by the US National Weather Service continued in January. Although we didn't get any rain in January, the December rain has helped. As of Feb. 1, 2022, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows Riverside County in a Moderate (D1) and Severe (D2) Drought. For those of you who live in the Rancho California Water District (RCWD), remember that effective March 15, 2022, the inefficient water budget Tier 3 will be reduced for residential use by 50 percent. As you know, Tier 3 has the highest water cost. As of February 3, Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) has not announced any new restrictions (or cost increases). If you are interested in learning how you can make your yard more water efficient, visit https://greengardensgroup. com/turf-transformation/ which has links to online classes, introductory videos on YouTube and excellent books that you can download. All these resources are free. LANDSCAPE UPDATE: G53: Anthony Reynoso, The Colony's Landscape Superintendent, has been in contact with Sun-Tech Builders who will be building the arbor in G53. To start the construction, Sun-Tech needs to obtain the engineering and draft final site plan to submit it for the permit. After the permit is issued, Anthony can schedule the footing excavation and follow-up footing inspection and Sun-Tech will get the materials. Sun-Tech is saying that "with everything going on, it could take up to six months or so." We believe six months is a worst-case scenario but wanted to pass this information to you. SLOPE RENOVATION: We are finishing a year-long process of renovating the slopes, which should be completed in March. One of the areas that was cleaned up was W10 (on Colony Drive next to the mulch pile). Environmental Concepts did a great job of cleaning out the dead trees, debris and the natural stream. GOOD NEWS: We are very happy to share that Avel Walker has joined the HOA staff as the Assistant Landscape Superintendent. I have found him to be a pleasure to work with and the LAC is glad to have him on board. VOLUNTEERS: You are probably tired of hearing me say that the Landscape Advisory Committee has an opening for a volunteer, but we do still have an opening. Instead of me discussing what I believe are the benefits of volunteering, I want to share the benefits according to Cyn Meyer of Second Wind Movement. Their article describes the "12 Benefits of Volunteering After Retirement" and, of course, they are referring the benefits from to all types of volunteer opportunities. Here is their list of benefits: #1 Builds Connections and Friendships #2 Gives a Sense of Purpose #3 Boosts Your Confidence #4 Bolsters Your Health #5 Keeps Your Mind Sharp #6 Teaches You Valuable Skills #7 Lowers Your Stress Level #8 Promotes Longevity #9 Opens Opportunities for Travel #10 Bridges the Generation Gap #11 Makes You Happier #12 Helps You Leave a Legacy To read the full article, visit https://secondwindmovement. com/resources/ and remember that The Colony has lots of volunteer opportunities. LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Jane Payne, 909-455-2253