The Water Audit portion of the Federal Energy and Water Audit Report may be used to collect data to reflect a building’s water usage and recommendations for improvement. Input data fields for Landscape Irrigation and the guidance listed here were derived from Section 3.9 of the Water Evaluation Tools Handbook.


Landscape irrigation can be found throughout campus grounds such as around buildings, golf courses, ball fields, and parks. Landscape irrigation can potentially be a high-water-use activity, depending on factors such as how much irrigated landscape exists, condition of the system, and irrigation management (e.g., amount and timing of the water applied).


Use the data collection forms to gather data on irrigated areas such as building landscape, ball fields, parks, and golf courses. Information not obtained from a visual inspection of the equipment and irrigated grounds will need to be gathered from the grounds or building manager and the staff that irrigates and manages the grounds.


Collect the following information gathered during a walk-through survey. The tool allows for multiple landscape areas so break large areas into multiple sub-areas based on landscape type and area type.


  • Landscape Irrigation Area Name -- The tool allows for multiple landscape areas to be entered; therefore, a unique name must be identified for each area
  • Is Water Use Metered? – Yes/No. If the campus has landscape irrigation areas that are metered, document the location and who is responsible for the meter so the data can be requested at a later time.
  • Landscape Type -- Identify the general type of landscaping. Pull down menu selections include:
    • Turfgrass -- landscape areas consisting of grass such as ballfields and parks
    • Mixed beds -- landscape areas consisting of a variety of plantings such as shrubs, trees, and turf
  • Turf Species (If Landscape Type is Turfgrass) – See Table 6 in Section 3.9 of the Water Evaluation Tools Handbook for examples of turfgrass season types.Pull down menu selections include:
    • Cool-season grass – Thrives in cooler climates, generally requires more water than warm-season grass to thrive, and has dark green, thin blades that are densely packed.
    • Warm-season grass – Better suited for hot summers, generally more drought tolerant, and has lighter green, thick blades that are less densely packed
  • General Level of Supplemental Irrigation Needed (If Landscape Type is Mixed beds) -- Select irrigation needs based on the predominant type of plants in the mixed bed.
    • Low – Plants are native or well adapted/drought tolerant to the specific area and do not require much water over the growing season to stay healthy.
    • Moderate – Plants that require some additional water to stay healthy over the growing season and are not native or adaptive to the area.
    • High – Plants that need ample supplemental water to stay healthy.
  • Density of the Mixed Bed Area Planted (If Landscape Type is Mixed beds) -- Identify the density level of plantings that best matches the following types (if the area has more than one type, choose the predominant type).
    • Low – Sparsely planted landscape
    • Moderate – Full coverage, but predominantly one vegetation
    • High – Mix of plant types that are compactly planted covering the whole landscape
  • Level of Protected/Exposed of the Mixed Bed Area (If Landscape Type is Mixed beds) -- Identify how exposed the plants are to heat, wind, and sunlight using three categories (if the area has more than one, choose the predominant type).
    • Protected – Area shaded from sunlight and protected from wind and heat gain.
    • Open – Area in an open, flat field.
    • Intense exposure – Area exposed to high heat and/or windy conditions
  • Landscape Area Type -- Select the landscape type that best describes the area. Pull down menu selections include: landscape around a building, athletic field, golf course, parade field, park, family housing.
  • Landscape Area Size in Square Feet -- Estimate the square footage of landscape area. This information may not be obtained during the walk-through but can be estimated using online mapping tools (e.g., Google maps), provided the landscape boundaries are understood.
  • Water Supply Type -- Identify the type of water that supplies the irrigation system. This can typically be provided by the ground’s manager. Pull down menu selections include:
    • Potable – Water from freshwater sources that is safe to drink, such as surface water or groundwater.
    • Non-potable – Water from freshwater sources that is not safe to drink, such as surface water or groundwater.
    • Alternative – Water that is not from freshwater sources, such as rainwater harvesting, graywater, condensate capture.
  • Month Irrigation Starts and Ends -- Identify the months when landscape irrigation is typically started, and when landscape irrigation is typically shut down for the season
  • Irrigation Equipment Type -- Identify the type of sprinkler head. There are three main types that can be identified either visually while the sprinklers are running or by asking the staff.
    • Rotor – Delivers water in a rotating stream. Typical for large irrigated areas.
    • Spray – Delivers water in fan shaped pattern. Typical for small landscape beds.
    • Point Source (Micro-spray and drip) – Small emitters that deliver water at lower pressures directly to the root zone of the plant. Typical for small landscape beds.
  • Type of Irrigation Controls – Select from:
    • Standard (Clock) – The irrigation system is controlled via a clock or timer.
    • Smart/Weather Based – The irrigation system is controlled automatically based on weather and soil conditions that precisely schedule watering based on actual needs of the plants.


Observations

  • General Appearance/Condition of the Landscape -- Determine the best match of the landscape’s appearance to the following descriptions (if the walk-through survey is not during the growing season, obtain this information from the grounds or building manager).
    • Stressed – Landscape appearance is not a priority and may be under-watered at times during the growing season.
    • Average – Landscape is kept green but not lush throughout the growing season.
    • High quality – Landscape is kept green and lush during the entire growing season.
  • Soil Type -- Record landscape area general soil type. Ask the grounds manager or search online for the soil type of the general region.
    • Sandy – Soil will not form a ball.
    • Loam – Rich soil that is a combination of sand and clay; soil will form a well-shaped ball that will break apart easily.
    • Clay – Soil will form a well-shaped ball that does not break apart easily.


Observations on irrigation efficiency and system operation

  • Puddles Observed in and Around the Landscape Area -- Note if there are any puddles in and around the landscape, which may be caused by overwatering or uneven watering by the irrigation system.
  • Runoff Observed in and Around the Landscape Area – Note if there is runoff in and around the landscape area during or directly after irrigation.
  • Sprinkler Heads Leaks Observed -- Note if there are leaks from the irrigation equipment. These may be observed as water seeping from sprinkler heads.
  • Broken Equipment Observed -- Note if there is any broken landscape equipment including missing sprinkler heads that cause a geyser (spraying large amounts of water not commensurate with the other heads) or malfunctioning valves that do not shut off the zone so the irrigation system continues to run.
  • Impervious Surfaces Being Watered (e.g., Sidewalks or Parking Lots) – Note if surfaces such as sidewalks and roadways being watered by irrigation system.