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Irrigation vs rainfall
In the UK we get restrictions put on our water consumption during
drought periods. The first thing to go is the use of hoses and sprinklers for watering gardens, and pressure hoses (or any type of hosepipe) for cleaning cars. When these restrictions are in force it is not unheard of for helicopters to be sent up to check for green lawns - those found guilty of violating restrictions get heavily fined. It is still allowed to water a garden by hand as this is far more efficient and the water is targetted......and we are still allowed to use hosepipes to fill ponds and paddling/swimming pools..... Personally I don't agree with the long term use of sprinklers to water gardens mainly because they are wasteful and inefficient. Running them throughout the day IMO is not as beneficial as a twice daily watering at dawn and dusk (less issues with evaporation). I would also hesitate, as much as I love my garden, to plant anything that would require many hours of watering to get it to survive (possibly as I tend to forget to do it).....far better to plant something suited to the climate or at least something only requiring a twice daily soaking. Now, the use of irrigation for farming is a different matter but still has to be done with a degree of common sense. Water is not a limitless resource and we have to consider the impact on the environment when sourcing it. Diverting rivers or damming them can have a massive impact on the ecosystem....potentially turning areas into desert that had been fertile......there are many examples worldwide where this has happened or where one country diverts a river to the detriment of the population of another (can't remember the exact example just that this was reported on last year some time). Those of us lucky enough to live in the developed world tend to take our water supply for granted - and yes, I do too, but less so after spending a day last summer (when it was hot) without any running water being supplied to the house (burst water pipe meaning around 1000 homes were cut off) and the drought restrictions in force last year. I have nothing against watering garden plants per se but I do think careful consideration should be given to ensure that it is done in the most efficient way. Gill |
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