The Town of Riverhead, together with New York State, its departments
and agencies, and counties, towns and villages throughout the state,
recognize that our water systems are vital assets. The water system
challenges include water-source contamination; constraints on water
supplies due to climate change and increasing demand; and necessary
and costly infrastructure improvements due to transmission lines,
pumps and treatment facilities susceptible to deterioration, together
with limits on available funding. Water conservation will assist the
Town of Riverhead in maintaining a supply-demand balance and realize
other benefits, including but not limited to greater efficiency and
appropriate expenditures for expansion of water supplies by allowing
existing water supplies to serve increasing populations; alleviation
of competing demands for water resources; and, increased ability to
handle emergencies, such as drought, mechanical failure and water
contamination. While there are many different and effective ways to
minimize water use within residential, commercial and institutional
buildings, including plumbing fixtures with flow restrictions, water
conserving toilets, water pressure control devices, at peak demand
outdoor water use represents nearly 75% of total water demand for
lawn, landscape and garden watering, the Town, by this article, seeks
to require landscape designs to require less water by incorporating
xeriscape landscape techniques, including reducing turf area, planting
drought-tolerant or low-water-using species, creation of stormwater
gardens and other planned methods for protection of infrastructure
and water aquifer, and installation of low volume and smart controlled
irrigation systems.
The Town of Riverhead has demonstrated its commitment and desire
to be a sustainable community. The purpose of establishing landscape
designs which utilize best management practices and incorporate xeriscape
techniques, together with low volume and smart controlled irrigation
systems, is intended to further this commitment by improving and maintaining
the health of our waters, and reducing the stress on our infrastructure.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ANTI-DRAIN OR CHECK VALVE
A valve, located under a sprinkler head and installed lower
than the lowest head on the system, to hold water in the system when
not in use so it minimizes drainage from the lower elevation sprinkler
heads.
APPLICATION RATE
The depth of water applied to a given area, usually measured
in inches per hour.
APPLIED WATER
The portion of water supplied by the irrigation system to
the landscape.
AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER
A mechanical or solid state timer capable of operating valve
stations to set the days and length of time of a water application.
BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE
A safety device used to prevent pollution or contamination
of the water supply due to the reverse flow of water from the irrigation
system.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
A design or practice employed with the primary objective
to minimize adverse water quality impacts, preserve beneficial features
on-site, avoid downstream erosion and habitat loss, maintain natural
base flows and groundwater recharge, prevent downstream flooding,
provide multiple uses of drainage and stormwater drainage facilities,
and/or provide for the economical, safe and aesthetically pleasing
drainage system for development.
CERTIFIED NURSERY PROFESSIONAL
A landscape professional having successfully completed the
examination for, and continuously maintains their status in, the Certified
Nursery Professional Program administered by the New York State Nursery
and Landscape Association.
DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTING
A planting which can survive on minimal water from natural
rainwater. (See Cornell University Integrative Plant Species Guidance
Documents.)
HIGH WATER USING PLANT
A plant that will require regular irrigation for adequate
appearance, growth and disease resistance.
INVASIVE SPECIES
Non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration
and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental
harm or harm to human health.
IRRIGATED
Supplied with equipment that can apply water from an irrigation
system.
IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY
The measurement of the amount of water beneficially used
divided by the amount of water applied. Irrigation efficiency is derived
from measurements and estimates of irrigation system characteristics
and from management practices. An example of how estimating can be
done is by comparing water meter readings to estimated water need
over a period of time, such as a billing period.
IRRIGATION SYSTEM
A complete connection of system components, including the
water source, the water distribution network, controller and the necessary
irrigation equipment.
LANDSCAPE AREA
The total cumulative area of the portions of a project development
site to be improved with planting and irrigation. It includes water
bodies supplied with water, such as fountains, swimming pools and
ponds, but does not include natural open spaces and nonirrigated stormwater
treatment areas (e.g., a detention pond or nonirrigated bioswales),
building footprints, walkways, decks, patios, driveways, nonirrigated
synthetic turf, nonirrigated portions of parking lots, and other nonirrigated
hardscape areas.
LICENSED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
An individual licensed by the New York State Department of
Education's Office of Professionals, to perform services further described
in Title VIII of the New York State Education Law.
LOW-VOLUME IRRIGATION
The application of irrigation water at low pressure through
a system of tubing or lateral lines and low volume emitters which
may include but are not limited to drip, driplines, micro-sprayers,
and bubblers and which target small volumes of water at or near the
root zone of plants.
LOW-WATER-USING PLANT
A plant that can survive throughout the year with little
irrigation and is semi-drought-tolerant.
RUNOFF AND OVERSPRAY
The irrigation system shall deliver water at a rate compatible
with the site's soil types and infiltration rates. All irrigation
systems shall be designed to avoid runoff, low head drainage, overspray,
or other similar conditions where water flows onto adjacent property,
nonirrigated areas, walks, roadways or structures. Proper irrigation
equipment and schedules, including features such as repeat cycles,
shall be used to closely match maximum application rates to infiltration
rates.
SMART IRRIGATION CONTROLLER
An electronic automatic irrigation controller that is weather-
or soil-moisture-based with a timing device used to operate remote
control valves that operate an irrigation system, which schedules
irrigation events using evapotranspiration (weather-based) data such
as that from the California Irrigation and Management Information
System (see definition of "CIMIS") and/or data from an integral or
auxiliary soil moisture or rain sensor, and which may also include
a high flow sensor for high flow damage or malfunction control.
SOIL MOISTURE SENSOR
An instrument for measuring the moisture content of the soil
and capable of interruption of the irrigation cycle sensor when excessive
moisture is detected.
XERISCAPE
Quality landscapes that conserve water and protect the environment
and are adaptable to local conditions and which are drought tolerant.
The principles of xeriscape include planning and design, appropriate
choice of plants, soil analysis which may include the use of solid
waste compost, efficient irrigation, practical use of turf, appropriate
use of mulches, and proper maintenance.
This article shall take effect immediately upon filing with
the Secretary of State.