September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 37

CONSERVATION
By Richard J. Dolesh

Why Water Conservation
Matters to Parks and
the Public

D

THINKSTOCK

roughts are cooking the United States this year.
For the fi rst time since the Great Dust Bowl of
the 1930s, more than half of the nation is classified as being in a drought, and in much of the designated drought areas-virtually the entire Heartland
and the Southwest-these areas are identified as suffering serious or even extreme drought conditions. And don't
look for quick relief, either. A recent peer-reviewed article in
the journal Nature Climate Change projects that severe droughts
could last for 20 years or longer. These long-term drought cycles will have longlasting impacts on parks and recreation, in ways we don't understand yet; but they are
also producing an opportunity for public awareness, environmental education, and
citizen conservation stewardship.
The impacts of drought are widespread and deeply affect the natural environment, but many of the effects are not always visible. Sure, we will see food
prices rising sharply in direct proportion to this
year's drought in the grain-producing states, but
we might not realize that local wildlife is deeply affected and suffers terribly from such droughts as
well. While the media may focus on cities and towns
drinking water supplies suddenly at risk, they give
little attention to the non-tidal wetlands and ponds
that dry up, wiping out local populations of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and other creatures dependent on
these specialized environments.
Paradoxically, when rains fi nally do come, they
are often highly destructive, causing severe erosion
and harming natural systems more than they provide benefits to them. The extreme weather events
that punctuate drought cycles are becoming more
frequent, and rainstorms are often more violent

and destructive than in previous years. Witness the
" derecho " storms that hit the mid-Atlantic this summer and other unusual weather patterns that are now
occurring with higher frequency.
Many park systems around the country previously took abundant water supplies for granted, but the
harsh realities of this year's drought as well as the increasing costs associated with providing clean water
are causing park and recreation administrators to rethink their formerly profl igate ways.
The good news is that many park agencies have
been proactive in this regard. Grounds maintenance
staff, golf course superintendents, and turf managers
have often led the way regarding the implementation
of water conservation technology. They are installing
drip irrigation systems, recycling graywater, introducing highly efficient water conservation measures,
and more. But natural resources managers and parks
administrators are also catching on to the need to
W W W . N R P A . O R G    S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2    Parks

& Recreation

35



September 2012 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2012 - Parks & Recreation

September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 1
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 2
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 3
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 4
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 5
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 6
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 7
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 8
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 9
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 10
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 11
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 12
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 13
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 14
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 15
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 16
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 17
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 18
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 19
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 20
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 21
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 22
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 23
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 24
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 25
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 26
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 27
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 28
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 29
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 30
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 31
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 32
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 33
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 34
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 35
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 36
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 37
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 38
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 39
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 40
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 41
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 42
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 43
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 44
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 45
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 46
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 47
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 48
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 49
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 50
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 51
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 52
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 53
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 54
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 55
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 56
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 57
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 58
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 59
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 60
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 61
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 62
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 63
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 64
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 65
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 66
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 67
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 68
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 69
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 70
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 71
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 72
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 73
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 74
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 75
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 76
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 77
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 78
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 79
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 80
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 81
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 82
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 83
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 84
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 85
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 86
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 87
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 88
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 89
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 90
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 91
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 92
September 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 93
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com