6.5. ERMUSR 11-13-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~~, s,. n; Valu~te~2, ~ 0 2 - ~ ~ ~~~- -~> >: October. 2008 ~,. ' - ~6 ~, ~. ~~ ~~ Sprifzklis~ig is c~ big, ~rci gxawing, part of sitm~nertin~e zv~Zter zcse ,1-'(~ he damp grass squeaks as Craig Otto strides through ~a the Lawn of a Chanhassen home. He spots a couple ~~ of sprinkler heads that are too far apart, and makes a note on his clipboard. He advises the homeowner that the overspray wetting her sidewalk is a potential liability prob- lem, as well as a waste of water. Later, he plunges a probe into the soft turf and pulls out a soil core. It shows moisture extending down nearly a toot. "Now," Otto asks rhetorically, "if I am pulling water down to 11 inches, and we've only got roots down to 4 inches, what good am I doing with the extra 7 inches? The answer is, we're not doing any good." :~=~~~ I3~' ~~~ ~fl~' 13~c~'I~s ~ti.l'a X13 ~ct'~aS Iy~~~~ =~~~' l +'~~~`~~~ ~<~^~~I~~3i ~~~*1~~I'~i3~1~ i°'~'9;r.,~~~3i~;~.~; ,~oJ L~:Dpti~lg9 d.a $'.~? +~ii ~~ 'Li a~3 ~g~i ~99~3e'.Gitl~Z~3 3 1~r~3ud 'v. fglt33 3'9~xr ~9~s ~; ~~ ~~i ~+~~Yil f•.:s ~:' ~ ~ +4~4 t~~i £d~Z> 9,j '.:I ~y yr~ 7 p~~_ ~ 3 ~j ~9 ~i~~~iaH 9 1~ 'i'"~u'7 L.~. 3.~ ~~+.i ~~+J'7 ~i3Fl~i3*:9 vi ~i 3.r! L ~`: f.. He concludes the underground irrigation system is put- ting out significantly more water than the Lawn needs to stay green and healthy. "What I'm finding here," he says, "is this particular property is in need of some maintenance." Otto, an expert on the design and operation of auto- mated lawn irrigation systems, and another technician Ti.u~nirt,~ off Slur Ernz.. Continue: orr K~a~;e .; ~~es~~vater S~ce~y adEu~sorY c~v.~.ci1 gee ~d ~at~r stuc~~r. e~fc~rt on ~.o~~aint ~+~1~:ut~n innesota needs a rigorous scientific study of ground water sustain- ability that will inspire consensus among water experts and citizens, a distinguished advisory group to the Freshwater Society has recommended. The study should yield a common definition of the elusive concept of sus- tainability and agreement on ho~v to go about measuring it, the group said. The advisory group, the society's Guardianship Council, also urged that scientists and policy-makers encourage the recycling and reuse of water. GunrdiansYiip Council... Continues nil prate 5 Craig Otto conducts a lawn irrigation audit in Chanhassen.