The Irrigation Association (IA) today published its report and recommendations stemming from the organization’s Nov. 13 “Drought Summit” in California. Offering no panaceas, the IA report does point to the potential for existing water-efficient 
Broadening the adoption of those enhanced technologies and systems, the IA report says, will require more and better consumer education efforts, government financial incentives and continuing regulatory oversight.
IA recommendations are divided among four areas: agriculture, landscape, research, and education. Here’s a look at the landscape recommendations:
- Adopt a model irrigation ordinance at the local level to increase irrigation efficiencies in newly installed commercial and residential landscape irrigation systems.
- Authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program and incentivize the use of WaterSense-labeled technologies and services.
- Invest in improving existing irrigation system efficiencies and management.
- Improve the nation’s water infrastructure, including conveyance improvements and increased storage.
On the research front, the organization calls for greater funding of public research focused on water management and water efficiencies in agriculture and the managed landscape.
For agriculture, IA believes federal tax incentives are needed to spur the purchase of efficient irrigation equipment.
Improvements are needed to the nation’s water infrastructure, the report says, including conveyance improvements and increased storage.
