How much to water a Utah lawn and landscape

About 60 percent of municipal and industrial water in Utah goes to outdoor landscaping, which is why the Division of Water Resources puts so much effort into the lawn.^[1] Its Weekly Lawn Watering Guide uses weather data from across the state, so the advice changes week to week. There is a standard guide and a Low Water Use guide for lawns planted with intentionally low-water varieties, or for people who want to keep the lawn healthy rather than showy through summer heat.^[2]

The guide assumes you apply one-half inch of water per watering. It warns that lawns are often overwatered, which invites disease, weeds and insects.^[2] Governor Spencer Cox declared a statewide drought emergency on May 21, 2026, so check the guide each week and your water provider's rules before you set a schedule.^[2]

Split the run time into three shorter cycles with a 30 to 45 minute break between them, so the soil can absorb the water instead of sending it down the gutter.^[2] Run times vary by system, and USU Extension's free Water Check program gives more accurate figures for yours.^[2][3]

Outdoor water is usually secondary water, which is safe for yards and not for drinking or playing in.^[2] A weather-based irrigation controller can save water when it is set up correctly, and rebates may apply (see the rebates guide).^[2]

USU's monthly tips put lawn water needs at about 1 to 1½ inches per week in June and 1½ to 2 inches per week in July and September.^[5] The weekly state guide will tell you more precisely what to apply in any given week.

Trees need deep water, not frequent sips. USU says to wet the soil at least 10 to 20 inches deep, because short, frequent watering only wets the top few inches and builds shallow roots. In hot, dry summers irrigate trees at least once a week; sandy soils need it more often, and clay holds water longer. Established trees usually need no winter irrigation, and if they do, schedule it monthly.^[8]

Use slow point irrigation, such as a slow-running hose or drip emitters, not overhead sprinklers, which run off before reaching deep soil. USU suggests emitters that flow 1 to 8 gallons per hour (2 to 3 for clay, 5 to 8 for sandy soil), spaced about 5 feet apart on loops kept away from the trunk.^[8] Its monthly tips also say to deep water established trees and shrubs about once a month during the heat of summer, and to water evergreens in November if precipitation is sparse and the ground is not frozen.^[5]