The grass is not always greener if you water it, a new study finds. A recently published Stanford-led paper couples water-use and remote sensing data to examine the effectiveness of irrigation on urban green space during periods of climate-induced drought. Their findings provide important insights for efficient water conservation management as droughts become more frequent and severe due to a changing climate.

Limiting outdoor water use is a key component of managing water scarcity. However, maintaining green space – a societal norm in many urban areas – offers a variety of benefits, such as recreation and aesthetic value along with auxiliary benefits such as stormwater retention and management. As a result, preserving vegetation while conserving water is a major challenge. As droughts become more frequent and severe due to a changing climate, deciding on the optimal allocation of limited water resources within a city becomes even more important.

Click here to read the full article.