Mesa County is adjusting how it manages landscaping at parks and public spaces in response to ongoing drought conditions.

The approach reduces water use by up to 80 percent while focusing resources where they have the greatest community impact, the county said in an April 29 news release.

Mesa County Facilities and Parks manages 26 locations that rely on irrigation, and 11 of those locations use domestic water. In a typical year, those sites use about 9 million gallons of water, the news release said.

This year, the County is implementing a drought-mitigation strategy in which:

• Irrigation at some locations will be reduced or paused.
• Turf in certain areas will be allowed to go dormant.
• Water use will be prioritized for trees, shrubs and high-use spaces such as sports fields at Long Family Memorial Park.

These adjustments are expected to save about 7.5 million gallons of water, the news release said.

Mesa County also is focusing on irrigation efficiency, using tools such as soil-moisture sensors and system adjustments to deliver water only where and when it is needed.

At some locations, irrigation schedules will be reduced significantly, with watering occurring less frequently than in a typical season, the news release said.

Residents may notice parks looking different. Grass may appear brown or dry in some areas. The change is intentional as Mesa County conserves water responsibly.

The focus is on protecting long-term assets like tree canopy and maintaining spaces that serve the most residents, while reducing reliance on treated drinking water for irrigation, the news release said.

Some smaller or lower-use areas will not be irrigated to help conserve water, support regional agricultural needs and ensure public resources are used where they have the greatest impact.

This approach prioritizes the areas residents use most while evaluating how to manage lower-use spaces more sustainably over time, the news release said.

If drought conditions continue, Mesa County may shift further, focusing long-term resources on spaces that can be sustained and serve the community most effectively.