Summary Why conserve water? Wise use of water is a good idea for many reasons:
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Where does water go after it is used? Most municipalities operate and maintain water treatment facilities.
The city of Lincoln, Nebraska's Theresa Street water plant treats about 30 million gallons of water a day. During the summer when water use increases, Lincoln's water system delivers 80 to 90 million gallons a day to customers.
Ways To Reduce Water Use In Your Home
There are any number of ways water use can be reduced around the home:
Ways to Cut Water Use in New Homes
If you are planning to build a new home, consider these water saving options:
Other Resources on Reducing Water Use
Shrubs |
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Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Avg. Height |
Photos |
Saskatoon Serviceberry |
Amelanchier alnifolia |
6 feet |
http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/hcs/TMI/Plantlist/amelanchier.html |
Leadplant Amorpha |
Amorpha canescens |
8 20 feet |
|
Black Chokeberry |
Aronia melanocarpa |
10 feet |
|
Mentor Barberry |
Berberis x mentorensis |
7 feet |
|
Japanese Barberry |
Berberis thunbergii |
7 feet |
|
Siberian Peashrub |
Caragana arborescens |
10 15 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=495 |
New Jersey Tea |
Ceanothus americanus |
3 feet |
http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/woodhtml/NewJerseyTea.html |
Flowering Quince |
Chaenomeles Hybrids |
2 4 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=506 |
Corneliancherry Dogwood |
Cornus mas |
20 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=522 |
Gray Dogwood |
Cornus racemosa |
10 feet |
|
Smokebush |
Cotinus coggygria |
10 feet |
http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/landscapeplants/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=533 |
Dwarf Bush-honeysuckle |
Diervilla lonicera |
3 4 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=555 |
Common Witchhazel |
Hamamelis virginiana |
15 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=603 |
Juniper |
Juniperur chinensis |
10 15 feet |
|
Beautybush |
Kolkwitzia amabilis |
6 8 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=654 |
Privet |
Ligustruin species |
15 20 feet |
|
Blueleaf Honeysuckle |
Lonicera korolkowii |
15 feet |
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Trees/Shrubs/blueleaf.htm |
Emerald Mound Honeysuckle |
Lonicera maackii |
2 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=667 |
Amur Honeysuckle |
Lonicera inaackii |
15 feet |
|
Common Ninebark |
Physocarpus opulifolius |
10 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=726 |
Mugo Pine |
Pinus mugo |
5 15 feet |
|
Nanking Cherry |
Prunus tomentosa |
15 feet |
|
Western Sandcherry |
Prunus besseyi |
4 feet |
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/trees/handbook/th-3-45.pdf |
Scarlet Firethorn |
Pyracantha coccinea |
6 feet |
|
Fragrant Sumac |
Rhus aromatica |
6 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=811 |
Missouri Gooseberry |
Ribes missouriense |
3 feet |
http://www.missouriwildflowerguide.com/Flowers/Gooseberry.html |
Clove Currant |
Ribes odoratum |
8 feet |
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/trees/handbook/th-3-19.pdf |
Rugose Rose |
Rosa rugosa |
6 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=825 |
Winged Euonymus |
Euonymus alatus |
20 feet |
http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/hcs/TMI/Plantlist/eu_alata.html |
Forsythia |
Forsythia |
10 feet |
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/forsythiaspp.htm |
Potentilla |
Potentilla fruticosa |
5 feet |
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/trees/handbook/th-3-41.pdf |
Elderberry |
Sambucus canadensis |
8 feet |
|
Vanhoute Spirea |
Spiraea x vanhouttei |
6 8 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=640 |
Western Snowberry |
Symphoricarpos rotundifolius |
3 4 feet |
|
Indiancurrant Coralberry |
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus |
5 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=644 |
Common Lilac |
Syringa vulgaris |
10 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=872 |
Wayfaringtree |
Viburnuin lantana |
10 feet |
|
Nannyberry |
Viburnum lentago |
25 feet |
|
Blackhaw Viburnum |
Viburnum prunifolium |
15 feet |
|
Soapweed |
Yucca glauca |
3 feet |
|
Adam's-needle Yucca |
Yucca filamentosa |
2 feet |
http://www.midwestlandscapeplants.org/plantdetails.cfm?speciesid=974 |
Wildflowers & Perennials |
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Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Photos |
Yarrow Antennaria |
Achillea species |
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Flowers/Perenls/moonwalk.htm |
Pussytoes Artemisia |
Artemisia |
|
New England Aster |
Aster novae angliae |
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Butterfly Weed |
Asclepias tuberosa |
|
False Indigo |
Baptisia species |
|
Coreopsis |
Coreopsis grandiflora |
|
Purple Prairie Clover |
Dalea purpurea |
|
Purple Coneflower |
Echinacea purpurea |
|
Blanket Flower |
Gaillardia sp. |
|
Daylily |
Hemerocallis sp. |
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Iris Species |
Iris species |
|
Gayfeather |
Liatris aspera Michx |
|
Crimson bee-balm |
Monarda didyma |
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Sedum |
Sedum spectabile |
|
Black-Eyed Susan |
Rudbeckia hirta |
|
Columbine |
Aquilegia canadensis |
|
Russian Sage |
Perovskia atriplicifolia |
|
Hens-N-Chicks |
Sempervivum tectorum |
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Flowers/Perenls/henchick.htm |
Turfgrasses |
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Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Photos |
Buffalograss |
Buchloe dactyloides |
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Lawns/bufgrass.htm |
Tall Fescue |
Lolium arundinaceum |
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Lawns/tallfesc.htm |
Ornamental Grasses |
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Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Photos |
Big Bluestem |
Andropogon gerardii |
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=ANGE |
Sideoats Grama |
Bouteloua curtipendula |
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=BOCU |
Feather Reed Grass |
Calamagrostis x |
|
Sand Lovegrass |
Reedgrass eragrostis trichodes |
|
Eulalia Grass |
Miscanthus sinensis |
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/herbaceous/print/miscanthussinen.html |
Switchgrass |
Panicuin virgatuin |
http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/grasshtml/Switchgrass.html |
Fountaingrass |
Pennisetum |
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=PENNI |
Little Bluestem |
Schizachyrium scoparium |
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=SCSC |
Indiangrass |
Sorghastrum nutans |
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=SONU2 |
This information was compiled from a variety of sources by staff of the Nebraska Energy Office in 2003.
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