At a Glance
- BYU is currently operating under 60% irrigation water restrictions, with additional reductions expected as summer heat continues.
- Grounds crews are prioritizing water for trees, planter beds, and high-use lawn areas, so some lower-use lawns will intentionally go dormant.
- Employees can help by avoiding dormant (brown) lawns, using sidewalks and green lawn areas whenever possible, and understanding that occasional daytime sprinkler operation is part of irrigation system inspections that support water conservation.
- Together, we can help preserve BYU's campus landscape by protecting vulnerable dormant turf while supporting responsible water management.
Beginning last week, BYU's irrigation water restrictions increased to 60%, with additional reductions anticipated in the coming weeks. These restrictions coincide with some of the hottest periods of the summer and present significant challenges for maintaining the campus landscape.
BYU Grounds is carefully managing irrigation to operate within these restrictions while preserving the health and beauty of campus. As part of this effort, we are prioritizing irrigation for trees, planter beds, and high-use lawn areas over lower-use lawns. Thanks to careful water management, we have been able to keep campus green during earlier restrictions. However, given the current combination of reduced water availability and extreme heat, more lawn areas will likely begin going dormant as we focus our limited water resources where they will have the greatest impact.
We ask for your understanding and support as we work through these challenging conditions.
Please Help Protect Dormant Lawn Areas
Dormant lawns are much more vulnerable to damage than healthy, actively growing grass. Activities that would normally have little impact on a green lawn can cause significant wear or even kill dormant grass. Repeated foot traffic, gatherings, studying, recreation, or cutting across dormant areas may cause damage that will require replacement in the future.
When possible, please use green, actively growing lawn areas for recreation, studying, and gatherings, and help us preserve dormant lawn areas by limiting use on them.
Irrigation System Inspections
You may occasionally notice sprinklers operating during the daytime. While this can be surprising, especially during hot weather and water restrictions, these irrigation events are part of scheduled inspections to ensure systems are operating efficiently and delivering water where it is needed most. Regular inspections and adjustments of irrigation systems are critical components of our water conservation efforts and help us maximize the effectiveness of our limited water supply.
Thank You
We appreciate your patience, understanding, and partnership as we navigate these challenging conditions. Together, we can help protect and preserve BYU's beautiful campus landscape while responsibly managing our available water resources.