Turf Replacement

Make a change in your landscape to dramatically reduce water usage.

Cool season turf uses about three times the amount of water as landscape beds, and 5 to 10 times as much water as drought tolerant perennials and native plantings.

Cool season turf can be useful for children's play areas or in places where pets exercise. However, this plant type does not grow naturally in our mountain environment.

*Non-functional turf is any area of grass that is generally only walked on when mowed.*

Benefits of removing non-functional turf:

• Much less irrigation
• Generally less fertilizer and pesticides are used.
• Added color and texture in bedding plants
• Increase plant diversity and create natural habitat for insect pollinators and birds

Snowmass Water and Sanitation District has received grant funding to promote turf replacement:

• $2 per sq foot rebate for turf removal, with a 3000 sq foot maximum per account (as long as funding is available)
• Project area must currently be planted in healthy cool season turf. Pre-project documentation is required. New construction is not eligible. Please consult the pre-project checklist (link below).
• New plantings must be chosen from species that need low to very low water. Note: This does not have to be XERISCAPE. Choose from among several hundred species on the plant list below. New plantings must be designed to have at least 50% plant cover after 3-year establishment. Project design must be submitted for pre-approval in order to be rebate eligible.
• The newly-planted area needs to be irrigated on a separate zone to allow for lower water application rates.

Download the Turf Replacement Checklist

Plant List: Low Water-Use Plants

Contact Water Resources Manager, Darrell Smith, for details. dsmith@swsd.org 970-923-2056.