Aug 8, 2022 - News

Let your grass go brown as most of Iowa deals with a drought

Jason Clayworth

A photo of the Polk County Courthouse — These grasses near Polk County's Courthouse are dry but they aren't dead. Photo: Jason Clayworth/Axios

Lawn watering is often unnecessary and maybe even harmful for the grass, according to turf specialists at Iowa State University.

State of play: Most of Iowa is in a drought and a lot of the state's turfs are designed to go dormant, Adam Thoms, an assistant professor in horticulture at ISU told the Des Moines Register last year.

It's part of a natural cycle for established grass.
Plus: Sporadic watering is stressful for the plant.

Driving the news: A Water Conservation Plan was activated by Waukee Friday.

Property owners are asked to cut irrigation by at least 25%.

Of note: DSM Water Works hasn't yet made a similar request.

Yes, but: River levels are low and the utility is asking customers to act responsibly, CEO Ted Corrigan said in a Register article published Saturday.

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Let your grass go brown as most of Iowa deals with a drought

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