The Sycuan Tribe completed a tremendous reduction in overall water usage through an aggressive conservation program that comes with retrofitting irrigation equipment, removing and replacing waterdependent landscaping and lengthening awareness across the importance of water conservation.

The program has reduced the tribe’s reliance on groundwater on the golf course and resort by 25 percent and cut water use on properties throughout the Padre Dam and Otay municipal water districts by a normal of twenty-two percent.

“Sycuan is committed to doing its part to conserve, reduce and reuse water inside the reservation and our commercial enterprises,” stated chairman Cody Martinez. “We are happy with the reductions we've got achieved up to now and intend to extend our efforts this year and beyond.”

Projects at the original reservation completed so far include the removal of greater than 25,000 square feet of turf and replacement with drought-tolerant xeriscape landscaping or mulch; the replacement of greater than 5,000 sprinkler nozzles; and the replacement of 35 irrigation clocks with “smart clocks” that self-adjust to real-time weather for more efficient use. Key staff members have also obtained EPA-recognized industry certifications to reinforce their knowledge of water conservation and reduction measures.

“During the primary year of the program, we strategically and aggressively pursued quite a few projects to reduce, reuse and reclaim our precious water resources,” said Jim Park, assistant director of landscaping. “We have doubled the lands irrigated with reclaimed water and converted high-water usage irrigation systems to drip, increasing efficiency from 40 to 90 percent in those areas. The installation of xeriscape landscaping has further ended in a greater than 50 percent reduction of water use throughout those properties.”

The tribe plans to soon undertake additional projects so as to build at the work already performed, including more turf removal; connecting substantial acreage of the unique reservation to newly installed purple-pipe; installing a state-of-the-art reverse osmosis system to further benefit the groundwater well field; and expanding its water reclamation plant.

The tribe’s work was recognized by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), which has provided greater than $65,000 in rebates to support the water conservation program. The unique Sycuan Reservation is entirely depending on groundwater, with newer portions of the reservation served by the Padre Dam and Otay municipal water districts. 

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