I tore out my grass lawn; here’s why you should, too.

Last week was a hot one. Denver hit 99 degrees on Tuesday, the hottest June 20 on record. Average temperatures in Colorado have increased by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1977 and could increase by 4 degrees by 2050, with summers warming more than winters, according to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Meanwhile, the state’s population is growing. Colorado is projected to grow to 6 million residents by 2025 and up to 10 million by 2050.

If these projections prove out, the Front Range, where most Coloradans live, will come up short on water by 2030. Starting this sure-to-be-hot summer, every Coloradan needs to become a water conservationist.

Colorado is a semi-arid state with a meager 17 inches of average annual statewide precipitation. Most of Colorado’s moisture falls as snow in the mountains. Four major rivers originate in the Colorado Rockies, but no major river flows into Colorado. Several downstream states and Mexico rely on Colorado water. Droughts come every couple of years and adversely impact the entire region, not just our state.

Potentially warmer temperatures and population growth mean Colorado needs to increase water storage and conservation. Colorado has been a pioneer in water storage, water rights, water quality (congratulations to Greeley for winning 2017 best tasting tap water by the American Water Works Association), and efficient water use. In fact, Denver Water, the state’s oldest water utility, started urging water conservation back in 1936 on street trolley ads.

Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed rain barrel legislation authorizing homeowners to collect rainwater for gardening. Some may say that the impact of such urban water conservation is negligible. After all, most Colorado water is used for agriculture (86 percent), followed by municipal (7 percent) and industrial use (4 percent). Many Colorado farmers and ranchers have adopted water conservation methods such as no-till planting, dry farming, rotational grazing, and drip systems, but there is room for improvement. Most Coloradans, however, are not farmers (no, backyard chickens don’t count), and we can contribute to municipal water conservation. As the potential for water shortage approaches, every drop saved counts.

Fully half of the water used by the average single-family residence served by Denver Water goes to the yard. Low-flow shower heads and toilets are helpful, but they don’t save a drop of water sucked up by a thirsty lawn. Want to really conserve water? Tear out your lawn, or at least a big chunk of it, and replace it with beautiful, low-water plants.

When I first began to tear out my lawn, friends questioned my sanity. It’s a common myth that low-water gardening is ugly, high maintenance, or incompatible with dogs. In other words, low-water gardening means a sand lot with a half dead juniper. They were surprised to discover my grass-less front and back yards instead look like English gardens with plants, stone paths, and a pond.

The change in water use has been significant. The gardens consumed 43 percent less water this May than the lawns did in 2012. The year-to-year comparison is similar for other months as well. In addition to reduced water requirements, a grass-less yard requires no mowing or edging and less fertilizer. The drip system is lower maintenance than a regular sprinkler system and enables fewer weeds. The dog can still chase squirrels on the “game trails” between the beds. Best of all, flowers bloom throughout the season, supporting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

I’m no professional. I created the gardens over a couple of years through trowel and error, using guidance available at Denver Water, the Denver Botanic Gardens, garden centers, and the Colorado State University extension office. I’m confident anyone can do it. If we really want to “be the change we wish to see in the world” and contribute our state’s well-being as we face the twin challenges of potentially warmer weather and a higher population, we need to become conservationists in deed, not word.