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12 | THE COLONY NEWS | MARCH 2025 | Drought at e Colony: Over the past number of years, e Colony has been in and out of "severe drought" status. Presently, I understand the reservoirs are pretty full, but most likely this year will cause withdrawals of more than can be replenished. e soil is very dry. On Jan. 16, 2025, e NIDIS (National Integrated Drought Information System) stated the current drought is expected to worsen. Whenever the state announces we are in a drought, the water districts can nd themselves with restrictions to conserve water, which they pass on to us. When that happens, e Colony HOA usually receives reduced water allotments and has to restrict water usage. First to go in commercial accounts (e Colony HOA is considered a commercial account for water) is watering to "non-functional turf " (our greenbelts). In February 2023, California Legislature introduced AB 1572. is bill would prohibit the use of potable water, as dened, for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, institutional, and multifamily residential properties, as specied. e bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board to establish, on Jan. 1, 2029, for common areas of HOAs, community service organizations, and similar entities, specied compliance and certication requirements. e bill would require owners of covered properties to certify their compliance with these provisions, as specied. On Oct. 13, 2023, Governor Newsom signed AB 1572 into law, amending Water Code sections 10540, 10608.12, and 10608.22, and adding Water Code section 110. Most HOAs do not water homeowner lawns, but ours does. Homeowners' individual water accounts are considered residential … dierent rules apply. ese restrictions to the HOA were highly controversial last time around, because even the water districts were confused as to what rules applied when. It was dicult to comply. Aer the rains began, we expected the water districts to lower their penalty tiers for usage over the basic amount of water allotted. ey did not. It is very easy to trip over into these tiers now, and the LAC and sta monitor our water situation closely, constantly making adjustments. Water restrictions and rate hikes are not new here. For many years the LAC, sta, and the Board have worked to remove non- functional turf (greenbelts) to reduce water usage. We have taken advantage of rebates oered to do this, replacing costly overhead spray with drip irrigation, drought-resistant plants, and mulch. We expect this to continue. Front lawns: Did you know that 75-80 percent of e Colony HOA water usage is going to front lawns? Greenbelt and wildbelt usage is not even 25 percent of the total. And did you know that even if the HOA was required to reduce front lawn water, YOU could still water your own lawn? As stated previously, the rules for residential usage are usually dierent from commercial accounts. During the last severe drought, many neighborly conversations were held over hand-watering in the evening. New housing developments nearby don't even allow turf in the front yards. So, in 2022 the LAC began to research possibilities for our front yards, thinking our turf may have to go, too. We took a trip to UC Riverside's Turfgrass Research and Extension Field Day where various experimental drought-tolerant turfs for Southern California were being propagated. e main emphasis was on golf course turf, but we did nd one cultivar which looked like our current front yard grass, stayed relatively green during the winter and summer, and used 50 percent less water. We wanted THAT! However, the seeds had yet to be harvested in a quantity sucient to be grown by commercial sod growers who sell to the public. Maybe by 2025? We keep checking to see when we can get it, hoping we don't have to restrict front lawn water too much before then. We are mindful that if this turf is available and we decide to recommend it, it won't be eligible for any turf-removal rebates. We suspended the front yard no-turf discussions during the past rainy seasons but are ready to begin again, if needed. As a side note, the LAC feels the Kurapia (Kurapia S1 or Phyla nodiora "Campagna Verde.") we have begun using in the greenbelt renovations is not suitable for front lawns. Yes, it uses less water than our present fescue (or mix), but it doesn't look very uniform close up. Area Walks this month: Each LAC member is assigned an Area within e Colony to monitor. In March, you may see us in front of your house or behind in a greenbelt. We are deciding which plants can stay, which must be replaced (or not), and which need to be watched for a year. So, fear not … we're only here to help you. LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Jan Foster, Chair, 951-698-0170

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