Kirkwood Tries to Save Trees From Drought

Recently, the city of Kirkwood asked its residents to take part in a voluntary water rationing due to this summer’s high temperatures and drought conditions.

“...there has been heavy demand for water consumption leading to concerns about keeping water storage tanks filled with sufficient water to meet that demand and have sufficient reserves for public safety,” read a city of Kirkwood press release on the matter. “As a result, the city has asked residents to voluntarily refrain from watering lawns until further notice..."

Kirkwood city officials, however, announced recently that the city would have to undergo an effort to water mature canopy trees in Kirkwood Park to prevent them from dying in the harsh drought conditions.

“Kirkwood Park wouldn’t be Kirkwood Park without these magnificent trees,” said Murray Pounds, Kirkwood Parks and Recreation Director, in a press release. “In addition to their beauty, they also are highly functional, providing shade to park users, and filtering of light and noise to park neighbors, as well as interrupting the flight of the occasional wayward softball.”

Pounds emphasized that Kirkwood was focusing on watering only those trees and that it still asked and thanked residents for their participation in their voluntary water rationing. Pounds said it might appear as if the lawn around the trees is being watered, however, it is only to get to the roots of the trees.

“What people need to understand is that the root zones of such large trees spread beyond the spread of their branches,” said Pete Laufersweiler, Kirkwood’s Horticulturist, in a press release. “We will need to saturate the areas under these trees to try to get adequate amounts of water to their root system.”

Water will be pumped from from Walker Lake whenever possible, but to a point that it doesn’t endanger plant and creatures living in the lake.

Pounds said residents are also encouraged to protect their own  trees.

“We want to stress that we are following the same directive the City of Kirkwood has given to residents,” Pounds said in a press release. “Residents should continue to water to protect the investment in valuable resources such as trees and landscapes. Let the turf areas go for now.”