Walla Walla Water Watcher

Facts and tips on water usage and conservation are presented weekly by the city of Walla Walla, in partnership with Walla Walla Community College and the Union-Bulletin.

Precipitation and moisture

Last July: .06 inches for the month

This July so far: .13 inches

Chinook salmon return numbers

Fish numbers in the Walla Walla River counted at Nursery Street Bridge in Milton-Freewater, as of July 26, are: Spring Chinook, 558; Steelhead, 470.

Data collected by The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Department of Natural Resources; funding provided by Bonneville Power Administration.

Water usage

For the fourth week of July average water use by all city customers: 14.51 million gallons per day. This time last year in July 2025, average water use: 15.46 million gallons per day.

Water use guidelines

For the week of July 20-26, precipitation was 0.00 inches and turf grass in the area used 1.18 inches of moisture, according to WSU AgWeatherNet data. Home irrigators should have run spray type sprinklers 4 times for 12 minutes and rotor type sprinklers 4 times for 44 minutes. Calculations are based on average precipitation rates at the Walla Walla Community College weather station, please adjust for local conditions.

Yard care and water savings tips

Ways to care for your lawn in extreme heat:

• Don’t cut grass too short. Cutting your grass short limits your plants’ ability to produce energy for growth. When grass is cut to a proper height, it develops stronger roots that allow for more support and make them more tolerant of stress.
• Stick to the one-third rule. When cutting your grass in the heat, never remove more than one-third of grass height at one time. By sticking to this rule, your lawn is kept cooler because less plant tissue is removed. This allows your lawn to thrive and avoid stress.
• Limit watering. In general, grass manages better when soil is on the dry side rather than wet. When soil is consistently wet, it can cause many problems for both the plants and soil organisms. Wet soil deprives plant roots of oxygen and makes them more susceptible to disease. Try to avoid watering daily. Lawns only need 1 inch of water per week including rainfall. Try to water deeply and infrequently. Watering deeply means wetting the entire root zone. Watering infrequently means only watering when the grass is dry. Try to water early in the morning when your lawn can get the full benefit of hydration before the sun dries it out by midday. Watering in the evening leaves the water standing overnight with nothing to dry it up which can lead to mold and fungus.
• Don’t mow in a drought. Lawns have limited capabilities to recover from mowing during drought, and it can actually cause even more damage. During a drought, try to mow after a rainfall or after an irrigation day. Try to resist mowing while the grass is still wet to avoid clumping.
• Sharpen mower blades. When grass is cut with sharp mower blades, the plant will heal much faster. Mowing with dull blades actually tears the plant tissue rather than cutting it, causing more stress and damage to your grass. Torn grass develops a brown appearance and is more susceptible to disease and stress.

Contact the city of Walla Walla Water Division at 509-527-4380 if you have any questions.