“The bill requires Colorado water conservation board to develop a statewide program to provide financial incentives for voluntary replacement of irrigated turf with water wise landscaping (turf replacement program)”
The proposed Colorado bill is designed to help the efficiency and maximize utilization of Colorado’s water resources by reducing water used to irrigate turf grass. Irrigation of outdoor landscapes accounts for almost half of the water use in municipal and industrial sectors of the state. By reducing irrigation it increases the communities resilience to drought and climate change and also reduces the sale of agricultural water rights in response to increased demand for municipal water use.
Examples of nonessential turf grass that can be replaced include residential yards, medians, areas sloped with more than 25% grade, storm water drainage and retention basins, and commercial and industrial properties. The goal of this bill is to reduce the amount of nonessential turf grass that utilizes and relies on irrigation.
Also in the bill, it states that the state must prioritize the use of water-wise landscaping for both existing and new state government properties. According to the bill, evidence from existing turf replacement programs shows that for each acre of turf removed, it can result in 1-2 acre-feet per year in water savings.
The turf grass should be replaced with a minimum percentage of living plant species that are low-medium in water use and participants are encouraged to use native and pollinator-friendly species. The fund will not allow the grass to be replaced with concrete, artificial turf, water features or invasive species.
View the full bill here
https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022A/bills/2022a_1151_01.pdf