Time for a sprinkler spruce up

June 9, 2020 / Environmental Services / Leave a comment

Summer is here. Are you ready?

Lawn watering accounts for over 50% of water usage by Woodlands residents. It’s time to evaluate your water use as temperatures heat up. Follow these simple steps to save water AND have a healthier lawn this summer.

Let science be your guide. Subscribe to the Woodlands Water Agency Weekly Irrigation Recommendation. You’ll receive a weekly email letting you know how much to water. Recommendations are calculated from rainfall, moisture levels and evapotranspiration rates.

Audit your sprinklers. Use this guide to measure your sprinklers’ output. You might find that a simple adjustment will save you many gallons each watering.

Stay on schedule. Look carefully at your sprinkler system controller settings. Ensure you’re in compliance with our community’s Defined Irrigation Schedule.

Fix a leak. Check for signs of leaks from your outdoor faucets and irrigation sprinkler heads. Do you have a spot that is always wet? A seemingly small leak or drip can waste dozens of gallons a day.

When doing a spruce up of your irrigation system use these helpful tips:

Set aside a few minutes to audit your irrigation system. You might save yourself hundreds of gallons of water this summer! Small actions have big impacts.

Questions or comments? Contact enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov

Fishing for conservation

June 5, 2020 / Environmental Services / Leave a comment

Did you know that funds from the sale of fishing licenses in Texas support the management of the state’s aquatic resources? 100% of your hunting and fishing license fees go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for on-the-ground conservation efforts; with more than 2.4 million licenses sold annually, that adds up to a lot of funding. Fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration, land conservation, and Texas Game Wardens are just some of the initiatives those funds support.

*Photo courtesy of TPWD: Fees from license sales support programs like the Sea Center in Lake Jackson: a marine aquarium, fish hatchery and education center.*

So, if you’re looking for an easy way to help improve our waterways and wild lands, get a license and cast a line. Your contribution might help build an artificial reef off the coast or remove zebra mussels from your favorite lake. And when you do go fishing be sure to follow state regulations for fishing in public waters.

Thank you for your support of outdoor recreation and conservation in Texas and our community.

*This Saturday only, no fishing license required to fish in public waters. View here for more details on this annual event, including finding the best fishing spots near*by.

Questions or comments? Contact enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov

It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week

May 18, 2020May 18, 2020 / Environmental Services / 5 Comments

What’s growing in your backyard?

Just what are invasive species? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an “invasive species” is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration; and, whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health. A number of federal and state agencies are concerned with invasive species including The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which battles non-native plants and animal species every day to maintain the health of our natural areas and waterways.

Closer to home, The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department is addressing the many invasive plant species that have infiltrated our pathways and open spaces, impacting native plants and trees. Since May 2019, nearly one hundred Township residents have attended classes on invasive plants, learning to identify them, monitor their spread and report data. This “Invasives Task Force” has also gone to work on our on pathways, removing hundreds of pounds of air potato vine, Japanese climbing fern, nandina, elephant ear, Chinese privet and other non-natives.

Invasive Tasks Force participants proudly sharing the bags of invasives removed during a morning of volunteering

What can you do?

Learn more

May 16-23, 2020 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. What better time to join your neighbors in learning about invasives and how to stop them?

Texasinvasives.org offers a wealth of helpful information on invasive species in our state and region. Learn how to identify key invasives in our area and how to take action. Whether you are a boater, aquarium owner, gardener, hiker, pet owner or all the above, you’ll find specific tips to help stem the tide of invasive species.

Stop the spread

Once you’re familiar with our most common invaders, check your yard to see if you have any. If so, take a simple but important action for the health of our local environment by replacing them with natives. Then, consider increasing your impact even more by joining the Township’s Invasive Task Force!

You might also be interested in exploring the “Citizen Science” section of texasinvasives.org for advanced learning opportunities such as area workshops and online trainings. Citizen Scientists are volunteers who receive expert training to identify and track key invasives in our area. The information they gather is delivered into a statewide database and to those who can do something about it. The premise is simple. The more trained eyes watching for invasive species, the better our chances of lessening or avoiding damage to our native landscape.

Let us know if you’re interested, or have questions, by sending an email to enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov. Learn more and help Stop the Spread!

And the winner is…

May 12, 2020 / Environmental Services / Leave a comment

More than 500 households took the pledge to turn off their sprinklers from October 15, 2019 through April 15, 2020. Each pledge earned their village a point and a chance to win a monetary donation towards their scholarship fund as part of the annual Water Wise Village Challenge.

Turning off your sprinklers during the winter not only conserves water, it creates healthier lawns in the spring. The most common turf grass in our area, St. Augustine, goes dormant during the cooler months to conserve energy and strengthen its roots. Rainfall alone provides all the water it needs during this period. In fact, too much water will weaken grass, making it more susceptible to disease and pests when spring rolls around.

Now put your hands together for the 2019-2020 Water Wise Village Challenge Winners:

First Place – Village of College Park
Second Place – Village of Creekside Park
Third Place – Village of Sterling Ridge

Congratulations to these villages, but remember, everyone who saved water is a winner!

If you missed out on this year’s village challenge, be sure to check back in August and make the pledge to turn off your sprinkler for winter 2020-2021. Visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/environment for more information on Water Conservation and the Water Wise Village Challenge.

Turning off your sprinkler is just one simple way to save water around the house. Check out these resources for more easy ways to save water at home.

Questions or comments? Email enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov

Thinking About Future Water Security

May 7, 2020 / Environmental Services / Leave a comment

Preparing for drought

The population of Montgomery County is on the rise. In fact, we’re projected to be one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, doubling in size to 1.4 million by 2050. This growth speaks to the beauty and livability of this area. However, it comes at a cost, particularly the strain it places on our water supply. That strain will maximize during times of drought. Preparing for drought on top of a rapidly expanding population requires us to conserve water now.

Weather plays a major role in our water supply. Case in point, during the week of April 13, 2020 Montgomery and Harris counties were in “moderate drought” according to the Texas Water Development Board’s Water Weekly post. Subsequent rains improved our status to “abnormally dry” and now to “normal”. We hope these moderate conditions last forever but history alone tells us they won’t. Drought is undoubtedly in our future.

*In April 2020, our region transitioned from moderate drought to abnormally dry to normal. Click here for the most recent drought report*

The Region H 2021 Water Plan relies on conservation to provide 18% of the water supply during a drought. In other words, simply relying on surface and groundwater leaves us far short in meeting future demands, especially in times of need.

So, let’s make things easier on ourselves and start conserving now: Fix a leak, water your lawn only when needed, install low flow showerheads, and avoid irrigating the driveway and street.

How much water can you actually save through simple measures like these? First, consider that an average family uses 120,000 gallons of water a year. By turning off the water when brushing your teeth you can save 4,000 gallons a year. Efficient dishwashers save more than 6,000 gallons of water per year compared to hand washing (and use less than half as much energy, too). Leaks (toilets, faucets, appliances) may be the most surprising waste of water, amounting to 18 gallons of water per day, or 7,500 gallons a year. By simply addressing these three factors alone, you’ve nearly reached the 18% of conserved water needed to support the water plan.

Even though pressures on our water supply will mount, we can take simple measures now to conserve and that will ensure we are prepared. Will you help?

For more about ways to conserve water at home, follow the latest blogs from Environmental Services by signing up here.