Not The Start We Were Looking For

I found this graphic this morning while I was looking at the long term forecast of rain that just doesn't exist.  I don't know where the .01" in San Jose came from.  Maybe mother nature spit a little when she was looking down at us while chuckling.  Lacking the rainfall to lift the 20% reduction in water usage, the only thing I can predict with some certainty is another trying year for a lot of golf courses.  

2014 Water in Review

As 2014 has officially come to a close, I thought I'd share how we did for water savings.  Along with the water savings, I also wanted to show the weather differences in 2013 and 2014.

Total ET	2013	2014	% Change
March	3.13	4.06	29.71
April	4.96	3.27	-34.07
May	5.82	6.24	7.22
June	6.19	6.77	9.37
July	6.90	6.86	-0.58
August	5.87	6.02	2.56
September	4.28	4.42	3.27
October	3.15	3.33	5.71
November	2.02	1.92	-4.95
December	1.72	1.06	-38.37
Cumulative	44.04	43.95	-0.02

While the cumulative change in weather shows just slightly less evapotranspiration (ET) in 2014, the year certainly had its challenges.   The hardest months of any year, August - October, were actually significantly more demanding this year compared to 2013 as seen in the table above and in more detail below.  

Temperture	August		September		October
	2013	2014	2013	2014	2013	2014
Days >80	31	31	13	22	7	15
Days >90	4	8	3	5	0	6
Ave. High	84.5	87.6	80.3	84.4	74.2	80.3
Ave. ET	0.19	0.19	0.14	0.15	0.1	0.11

I am very glad to say that since the Governor's call for a 20% reduction on February 28th of 2014, we have saved a cumulative total of 24.7% water.  It was an extremely difficult challenge and there were certainly hard lessons learned, but lessons that will serve us well going forward.  

Total ET	2013	2014	% Change in ET	% Water Saved
March	3.13	4.06	29.71	-34.8
April	4.96	3.27	-34.07	-40.0
May	5.82	6.24	7.22	-21.1
June	6.19	6.77	9.37	-20.0
July	6.90	6.86	-0.58	-20.0
August	5.87	6.02	2.56	-21.3
September	4.28	4.42	3.27	-22.4
October	3.15	3.33	5.71	-21.2
November	2.02	1.92	-4.95	-28.6
December	1.72	1.06	-38.37	-100
Cumulative	44.04	43.95	-0.02	-24.7

The early rains have helped immensely with the recovery of lost turf, but by no means are we out of a drought situation.  We will continue with our Commitment to Community with our wise use of water as it is our most precious commodity.