Extended periods of low rainfall can make landscape care feel like a balancing act. Homeowners want to protect lawns, gardens, and valuable plantings, but they must also avoid wasting water or violating temporary watering restrictions.
A traditional irrigation controller may continue running the same schedule even when weather conditions, plant needs, or local regulations have changed. Smart irrigation technology gives homeowners more control over when and how long each area is watered. Here are several ways to manage an irrigation system more efficiently during dry conditions.
Adjust Your Watering Schedule as Conditions Change
An irrigation schedule should not remain unchanged throughout the entire growing season. Rainfall, temperatures, soil conditions, plant types, and sun exposure can all affect how much water a property needs.
Homeowners should avoid a “set it and forget it” approach. Automatic watering schedules should be adjusted in response to periods of rainfall and extended drought [1], rather than continuing to run at the same frequency every week.
During dry weather, review the runtime for each irrigation zone instead of simply increasing every setting. Areas with mature shrubs, shaded grass, or drought-tolerant plants may need less water than sunny turf or newly installed landscaping. Watering during the early morning or other approved periods can also reduce evaporation and give the soil more time to absorb moisture.
Reprogram Your System Around Local Water Restrictions
Local drought guidance may limit outdoor watering to certain days or times. For example, Virginia officials have recommended that residents reduce lawn and garden watering to alternating days and irrigate only between dusk and dawn [2] during severe dry conditions.
Restrictions can change, so homeowners should check current requirements from their city, county, or water provider. Once the permitted watering days and hours are confirmed, those limits should be reflected in the irrigation controller.
A smart controller makes these updates easier. Homeowners can reprogram watering days, shorten individual zone runtimes, or temporarily pause sections of the landscape that do not require immediate irrigation.
Use Smart Features to Make Irrigation More Responsive
Traditional clock-based controllers operate on preset times, even when those settings no longer match the landscape’s needs. In comparison, weather-based irrigation controllers use local weather information and landscape conditions to adjust watering frequency, timing, and duration [3].
Depending on the controller, homeowners may also be able to change predictive settings or use soil-moisture information to prevent unnecessary watering. Weather-based and soil-moisture-based controllers help watering schedules better match actual plant needs [4], reducing the risk of overwatering.
These adjustments can have a significant impact. Replacing a standard clock-based controller with a WaterSense-labeled controller can save an average household thousands of gallons of water annually [3,4].
Upgrade Your Traditional Irrigation Controller
Homeowners do not necessarily need to replace their entire irrigation system to gain smart features. James River Irrigation can evaluate an existing system and determine whether its traditional controller can be upgraded to a compatible smart controller.
Professional programming can account for the number of zones, sprinkler or drip components, plant materials, soil conditions, and differences in sun exposure. The controller can then be configured around the property’s needs and any current watering restrictions.
Get Help Managing Your System Through Dry Weather
Smart irrigation technology makes it easier to adapt when rainfall decreases or watering rules change. Existing James River Irrigation customers with compatible smart controllers may also be able to have system settings adjusted remotely as part of a maintenance plan.
James River Irrigation can inspect your current system, recommend a smart-controller upgrade, and configure watering schedules for greater efficiency.
Contact James River Irrigation today to create a more responsive approach to protecting your landscape while conserving water during dry conditions.
Sources:
- https://extension.umn.edu/lawns-and-landscapes/water-saving-strategies-home-lawns
- https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2026/june-releases/name-1119790-en.html
- https://www.epa.gov/watersense/weather-based-irrigation-controllers
- https://www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-labeled-controllers