Irrigation / Water Management

Summer 2024

Landscaping for drought and hot weather

Yards and gardens can really suffer in times of drought and heat. Washington State University Extension delivers a lot of advice to grow a beautiful and drought-tolerant landscape, including lists of plants, tips for reducing water usage, and more.

You can learn more from the free “Drought Tolerant Landscaping for Washington State (Home Garden Series)” from WSU Extension. Here are a few ideas to start you out from the Extension guide:

Pick the right plants

Drought-tolerant plants can withstand some time with limited moisture, even if they do not prefer periods of hot, dry weather.

Woody plants can … » More …

Sensor in a field at WSU's Cook Agronomy Farm

Fall 2022

Smart sensing at Cook Farm

The Cook Agronomy Farm at Washington State University uses smart sensors to prepare for climate change effects on crops, help farmers be more precise and efficient, and study soil on agricultural lands.

Read more about automation and precision agriculture in “Smarter orchards.”

Winter 2021

The great recession

From satellite observation to boots on the ground, Northwest climate patterns and declining snowpack are laid bare. » More ...

Fall 2017

Build your own rain garden

Learn how to design, install and maintain your rain garden with the free Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington (PDF).

You can find out more rain garden ideas and details from WSU Extension. If you have more questions, please contact your County Extension rain garden expert.

Be sure to check out where and where not to build your garden. Not every place is suitable.

Visit WSU Extension’s rain garden website.

Fall 2017

Plant for the future

Somewhere in the dryland wilds of eastern Washington, Michael Neff and his wife stop the car.

“I’ve always wanted to hike these dunes,” he says to her. “I could not believe the grasses that were stabilizing those dunes!” Neff says later. He refuses to identify where, exactly, the dunes in question are located. “It’s those little pockets of diversity that we need to identify and preserve,” he explains, almost—but not quite—apologetic.

Trained as a botanist and now a professor of molecular biology at Washington State University, Neff expands on why this is important: “If we’re going to be resilient in the face of climate … » More …