Water conservation tips for the week of July 18, 2025, are now available. Facts and tips on water usage and conservation are presented weekly by the City of Walla Walla, in partnership with Walla Walla Community College and the Union Bulletin, during the months of May - September.

Precipitation and Moisture

• Last July: . 00 inches for the month
• This July so far:  .00 inches

Chinook salmon and steelhead return numbers

• Fish numbers in the Walla Walla River counted at Nursery Street Bridge in Milton-Freewater, as of July 17, 2025, are: Spring Chinook, 910; Steelhead, 380.
• Data collected by The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Department of Natural Resources; funding provided by Bonneville Power Administration.

Water Usage

• This week’s average water use by all city customers: 15.90 million gallons per day. Third week of July 2024 average water use: 16.08 million gallons per day.

Water Use Guidelines

• For the week of July 11th – July 17th, precipitation was 0.00 inches, and turf grass in the area used 1.55 inches of moisture, according to WSU AgWeatherNet data. Home irrigators should have run spray-type sprinklers 5 times for 12 minutes and rotor-type sprinklers 5 times for 46 minutes. Calculations are based on average precipitation rates at the Walla Walla Community College weather station. Please adjust for local conditions.

Yard Care and Water Savings Tips

• Don’t cut too short – Cutting your grass short limits your plants’ ability to produce energy for growth.  When grass is cut to a proper height, it develops stronger roots that allow for more support and make it more tolerant of stress.

• Stick to the 1/3 rule – When cutting your grass in the heat, try to stick to the 1/3 Rule: Never remove more than 1/3 of the grass height at one time. By sticking to this rule, your lawn is kept cooler because less plant tissue is removed. This allows your lawn to thrive and avoid stress.

• Limit watering – In general, grass manages better when the soil is on the dry side rather than wet. When soil is consistently wet, it can cause many problems for both the plants and soil organisms. Wet soil deprives plant roots of oxygen and makes them more susceptible to disease. Try to avoid watering daily. Lawns only need 1” of water per week, including rainfall. Try to water deeply and infrequently. Watering deeply means wetting the entire root zone. Watering infrequently means only watering when the grass is dry. Try to water early in the morning when your lawn can get the full benefit of hydration before the sun drives it out by mid-day. Watering in the evening leaves the water standing overnight with nothing to dry it up, which can lead to mold and fungus.

• Don’t mow in a drought - Try to avoid mowing during the stress of a drought. Lawns have limited capabilities to recover from mowing during drought, and it can actually cause even more damage. During a drought, try to mow after a rainfall or after an irrigation day. Try to resist mowing while the grass is still wet to avoid clumping.

If you have any questions, please contact the Water Division at 509.527.4380.