Nevada's Drought: The Ripple Effects

Severe. Brutal. Historic. Devastating. Dangerous.These words are being used by scientists, environmentalists, farmers, ranchers, tourism officials, emergency managers, and a host of other specialists across Nevada to describe the drought.As we enter the fourth year of drought, and as temperatures rise this summer, the state will face myriad challenges relating to everything from agriculture to wildfires to water conservation. That's why KUNR is talking to community members and experts alike, bringing you the latest updates on this natural disaster. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________This special series from the Reno Public Radio news team provided detailed reports and tips throughout the week of April 27-May 1 on water availability, ranching, residential landscaping, native plants and fire danger. Hear and read about the stories below.Email us with your feedback about this series.

How To Save 10 Percent Of Your Water

KUNR Public Radio | By Michelle Billman,

Anh Gray

Published April 28, 2015 at 11:57 AM PDT

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Alexa Ard

The Truckee Meadows Water Authority is asking customers to voluntarily cut their water usage by ten percent. To figure out how to actually do that, we reached out to local experts who offered these tips:

Tip #1: Monitor and adjust your irrigation system

People use four times more water in the summer to irrigate their lawns. Here's Master Gardener Wendy Hanson-Mazet from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension with a tip on how to cut back on that amount.

Tip #2: Use mulch

How can using the right mulch save water? We talk with Master Gardener Hanson –Mazet to learn more.

tip__1_mulch.mp3

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Tip #3: Fix that leaky toilet

A leaky toilet is the biggest source of water waste indoors. Andy Gebhardt with the Truckee Meadows Authority with a simple fix for this common problem:

toilet_leak_tip_audio.mp3

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Tip #4: Skip the bath

For conservation, is it better to take a shower or bath? Andy Gebhardt with TMWA has that answer:

final_audio_for_shower_tip.mp3

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

Click here for more tips on water conservation.