Increases in global temperatures and the volatility of precipitation, which are linked to climate change, are two critical drivers of drought. Drought affects human society, impacting . Drought can impact an entire country, as what occurred in the dust bowl era in the United States, or regions and communities. The economic
impact of prolonged drought is enormous: The impact of California¡¯s ongoing
drought to agriculture as of 2015 is and
counting. But so is the impact on .
How Resilient Planning and Design
Helps
Water
is a critical resource. To become resilient, communities must more effectively
manage limited water resources through conservation and reuse. As an example, in the southwest
U.S., where water is scarce, traditional Hispanic communities have
for hundreds of years. These earthen canals offer a sustainable approach to water management in which scarce water resources are carefully managed, preserved, and stored, so future generations, and other species, can also access. This kind of multi-generational approach to water resource planning is what's needed moving forward, and should be reflected in contemporary systems of green infrastructure at all scales.
As part of this long-term effort to protect increasingly scarce water resources, communities can spur needed changes in behavior, encouraging greater conservation through smart regulations. Through the worst days of its drought, California , like watering lawns. This led to greater use of, featuring irrigation systems; underground cisterns; native, drought-resistant plants; and natural approaches that boost the retention of water in soils. The message was lush lawns are a luxury of the past; "brown
can be beautiful," as , FË¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, and others, have argued.
Through regulations, communities can also allow the safe re-use of
gray water from showers and kitchen sinks for residential landscape irrigation. in Tennessee is an example of how people can use gray water to sustain lawns and certain plants. To become drought-resilient, more communities will need to adopt these approaches moving forward.
Co-benefits
Native plants offer the added benefit
of providing habitat for needed wildlife, thus sustaining natural ecosystems.
Native plants attract pollinators such as birds and insects that are essential
to agricultural production. Trees planted to shade water bodies will reduce
evaporation and can provide wildlife habitats as well.
Role of Landscape Architect
Landscape architects play many roles in reducing the impact of drought. Working with planners and engineers, they can devise regional, urban, and local water management plans and design natural systems that help communities conserve and reuse water.
Project by project, landscape
architects can change people¡¯s perceptions of the value of water and the beauty
of native plant species. Landscape architects can also use their knowledge of
natural systems to store and protect water in ways that provide to communities and their environments,
beyond providing water in times of drought.
Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ 2015 Professional General Design Honor Award, Phil Hardberger Park, San Antonio, TX, Stephen Stimson Associates Landscape Architects
Relevant Projects
, Los Angeles, CA, Mia Lehrer + Associates
, Austin, TX, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects
, Newport Beach, CA, PWP Landscape Architecture
, El Paso, TX, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects
Greensburg Sustainable Comprehensive Plan, Greensburg, KS, BNIM
, Malibu, CA, RHAA
Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ 2012 General Design Honor Award, Arizona
State University Polytechnic Campus, Mesa, AZ, Ten Eyck Landscape Architects
Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ 2015 General Design Honor Award, Phil
Hardberger Park, San Antonio, TX, Stephen Stimson Associates Landscape Architects
, Santa Fe, NM, Ken Smith Landscape Architects
Garden/Garden, Santa Monica, CA, City of Santa Monica
Pete V. Domenici U.S. Courthouse, Albuquerque, NM, Rios Clementi Hale Studios
Resources
, The Dirt blog
, California Agricultural Water Stewardship Initiative
, University of Florida Levin College of Law
, GDIS
, UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences
Designing
for Water Scarcity, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ
, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation
Sustainable
Residential Design: Improving Water Efficiency, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ
, Landscaping Network
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