In anticipation of a dry fall, the University is implementing new measures to cut down on its water usage.
Using alternative sources of water, cutting back on the amount of water used in automated irrigation systems and planting more plants that are native to the area are some of the ways the University is trying to conserve water, Landscaping Superintendent Richard Hopkins said. Although an official drought has yet to be declared for the City of Charlottesville, University landscaping officials are doing what they can to prepare for what is already looking to be a dry fall, Hopkins said.
“We’ve dialed back the automated irrigation system and reduced the amount of water that it uses,” Hopkins said, noting that while the reduction is a slight one, it can be an indicator for an eventual cut-off of the irrigation system.
“We’re just fading it back; if we get the word, then we’ll cut off,” he said.
But not everything can be cut, or at least not yet. Exceptions include athletic practice fields and stadiums, where the ground must be soft in order to prevent injury to competitors and training athletes, Hopkins said.
Despite the fact that irrigation is still necessary in some University areas, Jerry Stenger, a research coordinator in the environmental science department, emphasized that the University community must continue to conserve because this has been the driest August on record.
“If we don’t get any more rainfall this month, then it would be the driest August in 110 years in the rain record from McCormick Observatory,” he said.
Dry weather can have an enormous impact on the area’s water supplies and agricultures, he said, noting that many livestock farmers are affected as ponds dry up and grass dies. Also, as trees and other foliage dry out in these conditions, the threat of wildfires increases.
“Virginia does not normally have a serious summer fire season because most of the leaves are green and full of moisture, but this year there have been a large number of wildfires because of the build-up of dry material on the forest floor,” Stenger said.
Stenger explained that the current water shortage is the result of the past two winters being drier than usual; groundwater reserves are usually replenished in the winter, which helps to balance the water lost during the summer through evaporation.
Stenger also pointed out that distinct differences exist between a water shortage and a drought, noting “a drought is more often defined in general terms as a moisture shortage that causes problems ... By that definition, many people [in this area] are experiencing a drought.”
Despite the dry weather, water supply systems have remained relatively stable, and there are still several alternate resources available to the community. Possible rainfall from tropical storm Fay could also help, he said.
For the University’s landscaping, there are several alternative sources of water if the dry season continues, including the South Pond near the hospital, a condensate collection from a cooling system located near the Law School and the new detention basin that is buried in front of the Observatory Hill Dining Hall, according to Hopkins. The “massive” detention basin was installed last year as part of the long-term Alderman Dorm replacement project, and can store 10,000 to 15,000 gallons of storm water, he said.
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