Arapahoe County Administration Building
Municipal Landscape Renovation Project
Project Scope
The goal of this project was to transform this low-traffic municipal landscape from a thirsty turfgrass lawn to a water-wise native grass site. A turfgrass island near the parking lot was renovated to a dry river bed to maintain and divert runoff.
Before
This site was previously a Kentucky Bluegrass lawn with some existing junipers and other shade trees.
During Establishment
Arapahoe County administration opted for a 6-species seed mix from Pawnee Buttes Seed. Their main goal was to conserve water; after establishment, the site can save 1.5 million gallons a year. Horseweed was an issue early in the project.
After
Non-irrigated area after several years of establishment and recently mowed
Renovation Method
Site Preparation
- Halted irrigation in the spring to kill off existing grass and weeds
- Glyphosate applied 4 times to kill remaining vegetation
Establishment
- Planted double the recommended amount of seed in summer
- Watered for establishment until October
- Re-seeded the following spring and began watering again
Maintenance
- Single application of spray (non-selective) for weed management paired with some hand-weeding
- Mowed to 4 inches in fall once established
Savings
Water
- Estimated to save 1.5 million gallons each year once established
Maintenance
- No cost savings on maintenance such as weeding
- Time savings on irrigation maintenance under alternative watering schedule
Lessons Learned
- Build a relationship with your contractor; avoid short-term or one-and-done partners
- Public communication is key. Be sure to include the adequate methods of communicating the project scope, purpose, benefits, etc. through effective channels
- It is important to protect trees early on in the transformation process; they should be the first consideration when shifting watering practices
Non-functional turfgrass island
