Seaside Highlands is a beautiful residential community of 380 homes surrounded by greenbelt lawns, bay views, cypress groves, a premier golf course, and is situated along California’s scenic skyline between Monterey and Pebble Beach.
Seaside Highlands decided to get serious about their water usage after many years of exceeding their water allocations and increasing water prices. Gachina worked with Seaside Highlands to tackle their water usage and landscaping needs while maintaining Gachina’s commitment to cost effective solutions and environmental stewardship.
Gachina outlined a comprehensive water management enhancement plan that would reduce water consumption, while maintaining Seaside Highlands’ natural beauty.
How Gachina reduced water 28% in 2014
During record breaking drought conditions, our team was able to lower water usage by 28% while maintaining the landscape at a high quality level.
• Decreased front yard watering by 25% – decreased from 4 days a week to 3.
• Established run times based on historical ET for all 38 irrigation controllers, adjusted monthly.
• Checked moisture levels using a hand held moisture sensor monthly and adjusted accordingly.
• Adjusted station run times based on microclimate (sun/shade).
• Monitored the system for leaks, run off, etc.
• Analyzed yearly rainfall and turned off the system when it rained.
2013 saw a slight increase in water use due to an extensive new planting that required additional water during the establishment period. Furthermore there was a lack of rainfall and a higher evapotranspiration (ET) rate in 2013.
How Gachina reduced water 12% in 2012
• Determined which areas of the landscape are on which meter. For example, ponds, fields, common & home owner areas.
• Obtained copies of each water bill.
• Worked with Marina Coast Water District
• Replaced 7,469 nozzles with low mist and matched precipitation nozzles to reduce water output.
• Analyzed yearly rainfall and turned off the system when it rained.
• Monitored actual ET vs. historic ET and made adjustments accordingly.
• Read water meters weekly.
• Removed turf and installed drought tolerant plant material.
• Cut water to mature, established shrubs.
Gachina Landscape is held accountable by active reporting and monitoring of the system. Gachina enabled Seaside Highlands to achieve their goals of environmental conservation and cost reduction.
Updated April 2015
