Questions about watering your yard? There’s an app for that

WaterMyYard uses local weather data to tell you when and how much to water

Wondering when to water your lawn? The free WaterMyYard app takes the guesswork out of irrigation, helping you save water and money.

Created by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, WaterMyYard uses local weather data to recommend when and how much to water your yard. The app has helped Texans save billions of gallons of water and millions of dollars in water bills each year.

The program is offered in partnership with water districts, cities and public utilities across Texas under the direction of Guy Fipps, Ph.D., P.E., AgriLife Extension statewide irrigation specialist in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Bryan-College Station.

“The program has been around for 12 years now, and I think we’ve demonstrated that we can produce reliable, science-based water recommendations to users week after week,” Fipps said. “Our users really appreciate the notifications because it’s a tool that simplifies things for them and saves them money.”

How much water and money can WaterMyYard save?

WaterMyYard currently has more than 55,308 users, Fipps said.

Based on data from about 50,000 users, the program is estimated to save:

• 3.9 billion gallons of water statewide each year. That’s enough water to supply about 35,663 households for a year.
• About $14.2 million in annual water costs, or roughly $284 per household.

Fipps’ calculations are based on yard water use during the irrigation season, which runs from April to October for most Texans.

The savings quickly add up because much of the water used outdoors is wasted. Studies show more than half of the water used on landscapes is lost, mostly because of overwatering, inefficient irrigation practices and systems that are broken or poorly maintained, Fipps said.

A healthy green yard may need less water than you think. In fact, many lawn problems are compounded by over-watering or by applying water at the wrong time, Fipps said.

Is WaterMyYard available where you live?

WaterMyYard is only available in specific service areas in Texas.

It currently serves more than 70 cities, including major metropolitan areas like the greater Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Together, those service areas include about 30% of Texas’ single-family homes.

To check whether the service is available where you live, enter your zip code or address on the WaterMyYard website.

Local sponsors make the program possible. Each service area is sponsored by a city, local water utility or water district to help cover program costs, Fipps said.

“We get positive feedback from the network partners, and they get positive feedback from users,” he said. “All our partners have stayed in the program since joining, and we’re always looking for other water districts and municipalities to join. It’s not an expensive program for them, and it helps in their water conservation planning.”

nterested in bringing WaterMyYard to your community?

Water districts, utilities and cities interested in joining the program should contact Fipps at [email protected] or Charles Swanson, AgriLife Extension program specialist with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, at [email protected].

Swanson manages the network and app.

Residents outside the network should ask their water provider to join the WaterMyYard network.

How does WaterMyYard work?

The program uses data from a network of specialized weather stations across Texas.

The stations record:

• Temperature
• Relative humidity
• Wind speed
• Solar radiation
• Rainfall

The app combines this information to calculate local evapotranspiration, or ET, rates. ET is the science-based method for determining the water requirements of plants.

The network consists of about 60 ET weather stations in the current service areas, along with a growing network of TexMesoNet weather stations across the state.

The app sends weekly watering recommendations through push notification to the user’s phone, email or text message.

How does the app personalize recommendations?

Irrigation systems apply water at different rates, which is referred to as the precipitation rate, Fipps said. During setup, homeowners select their irrigation system’s precipitation rate, typically 0.25 to 1.5 inches per hour.

There is also an option for hose-ended sprinklers for those who do not have a permanent irrigation system.

Rainfall is often the most variable weather measurement. WaterMyYard uses the rainfall recorded at the closest weather station, but users can also enter rainfall measured at their home for more accurate recommendations, he said. The app makes this easy to do.

“Being able to input your own rainfall amounts makes the WaterMyYard recommendations even more precise,” he said. “Once you set it up, just look for the notifications and water your lawn.”

PHOTO: Garden sprinkler watering grass at home backyard (Photo: iStock – ronstik)