The Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA) is leading the charge toward more sustainable turfgrass management by certifying grasses that use significantly less water while maintaining high performance. Its primary mission is to identify and certify grasses that use significantly less water while maintaining high performance in terms of playability, aesthetics, and overall health.
Highlights:
Comprehensive Testing and Certification
TWCA conducts rigorous, scientifically controlled trials across various regions to identify turfgrass varieties that truly excel in water conservation. These trials are often held under rainout shelters, which are structures designed to simulate drought conditions by preventing rainfall from reaching the test plots. By withholding water, researchers can measure the ability of different grasses to maintain green coverage, withstand drought, and recover after re-watering.
During these trials, the grasses are monitored through a process that includes digital imaging and software analysis to quantify how much green remains in the turf under stress. This ensures that the certification process is both data-driven and objective. Only varieties that demonstrate superior drought tolerance and recovery across multiple locations and seasons are awarded the TWCA certification.
Sustainability Focus
The TWCA’s work aligns with growing environmental concerns about water usage, particularly in regions where water resources are becoming scarcer. Turfgrass, especially in the context of golf courses and home lawns, can be a significant consumer of water. By promoting varieties that require less irrigation, TWCA helps reduce the overall water footprint of the turfgrass industry. The program is also relevant for homeowners and municipalities, where water restrictions during dry seasons are becoming more common. TWCA-certified grasses can help homeowners maintain attractive lawns without the need for excessive watering, contributing to broader water conservation efforts.
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