Turf Replacement Resources
1. Program Documents
A. Program Guide
- Turf Conditions Eligibility – examples of different turfgrass conditions and their eligiblity for the program
Residential Turf Replacement Program Guide
B. Site Plan Guidelines Documents
Before we can approve your application, your Site Plan must include all required Program elements:
- Turf Replacement Site Plan Guidelines
- How to Measure Your Project Area Using Google Maps
- Landscape Design Rebate – *NEW* Additional rebate available for Residential Turf Replacement participants seeking professional design services!
- Turf Replacement and Garden Transformation Video – 8 minute tutorial for drawing a site map to help you design your Turf Replacement and/or Spray-to-Drip Project
C. Project Requirements Checklist
Received approval and ready to start your project? Use this quick checklist to ensure your project meets the requirements of the Program:
D. Invoice and Receipt Requirements
Review these requirements to ensure that your submitted invoices and receipts include all the required elements for us to process your total rebate amount. Proposals, estimates, and bills are not eligible invoices.
E. Program Eligible vs Ineligible Costs
Not all purchases may be eligible for reimbursement in the Turf Replacement and/or Spray-to-Drip Program. Contact us if you have questions about your eligible purchases. The following are examples of Eligible vs Ineligible Costs:
- Turf Replacement Examples of Eligible vs Ineligible Costs
- Spray to Drip Examples of Eligible vs Ineligible Costs
2. Turf Replacement Program – Sustainability Features
The Turf Replacement Program requires the inclusion of a rainwater capture system integrated into the landscape project, called the sustainability feature. Read more about eligible features at the link below.
3. Demonstration Gardens
Visit a water conservation demonstration garden near you! Click here to view a list of gardens in the MWDOC service area: Demonstration Gardens
4. Tree Resources
5. Firescaping – adapting your landscape to reduce vulnerability to wildfires
- Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map – Check if your property is located in a fire hazard zone
- Defensible Space – CalFire’s guide for plant spacing & building defensible zones around your home
- Plant List for Firescaping – Orange County Fire Authority
- Vegetation Management Guidelines – Orange County Fire Authority
- Firewise Landscape Preparedness Checklist – Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
- OC Water Smart Gardens Fire-resistant California Friendly® plants
- Firewise Vignettes – California Native Plant Society
6a. California Friendly Plant Lists:
- OC WaterSmart Gardens – Find Orange County plant lists and resources for design, irrigation, and maintenance on our website!
- CalScape – database of California native plants by the California Native Plant Society
- Better Choices for California – Plant Right’s recommended non-invasive alternative plants to use instead of the invasive plants.
- Top 10 California Friendly Plants – BeWaterWise pamphlet
- A Planting Guide for Orange County – Tips for planting California native plants in your garden
6b. California Invasive Plant Lists (DO NOT PLANT):
- CA Invasive Plant Council – Plants A to Z – Full list of invasive plants in California with pictures
- CA Invasive Plant Council – Don’t Plant a Pest! – Invasive plants in Southern California and Alternatives
- Plant Right – Invasive Plant List – Priority invasive plants and alternative plants to use
7. FREE Compost and Mulch Available at OC Landfills
OC Waste & Recycling offers free compost and/or mulch to residents based upon availability. Please visit their website to submit a pick-up request:
8. How to Hire a Landscape Contractor
- Before hiring a contractor, we recommend you read The Contractors State License Board’s “What You Should Know Before Hiring A Contractor” informational pamphlet
- Utilize the CSLB’s database to check a contractor’s license: Check CA Contractors License
The following links are meant to aid in your search for a professional contractor. MWDOC does not endorse any specific company. Use your own discretion when seeking out a landscape contractor for your project.
- Landscape Design Rebate Designers List – Designers who have been verified for the Landscape Design Rebate for residential Turf Replacement projects!
- California Landscape Contractors Association
- Association of Professional Landscape Designers
- American Society of Landscape Architects
- Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper
- Be WaterWise Find a Landscape Professional
- Ecological Landscape Alliance
- Irvine Ranch Water District Local Landscape Design Companies
- Santa Margarita Water District Garden Design (Landscapers and Contractors)
9. Removing Your Turf Grass
- Identifying and Removing Lawn Types (Video)
- Sod Removal – Step by Step (Video)
- Sheet Mulching – California Native Plant Society (Webpage)
- How to Sheet Mulch – Lawn To Garden (Webpage)
- Important Information Regarding Herbicide: Glyphosate, the active ingredient in most weed-killers and herbicides, is recognized by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and is listed as such under Prop 65. For more information please visit https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/crnr/glyphosate-listed-effective-july-7-2017-known-state-california-cause-cancer.
10. Irrigation
- DIY Converting Sprinklers to High Efficiency Nozzles or Drip Irrigation
- Rotating Nozzles Rebate
- Drip irrigation recommended products and calculators
- Smartphone-Friendly Irrigation Controllers – Irrigation & Lighting’s 2024 Smartphone Controller Comparison Chart for residential / small commercial landscapes.
- Cycle and Soak – A method for saving water outdoors by splitting irrigation run times
11. Additional Resources
Websites
- OC Friendly Landscapes – Free landscape designs specially created for Orange County residents!
- California Friendly® Gardening Materials – A plethora of resources on BeWaterWise.com.
- Monthly Maintenance Checklist – Use this checklist to assess your sustainable garden maintenance needs.
- Green Gardens Group – What is the Watershed Approach to Landscaping?
- EPA – Stormwater Management Practices
- Surfrider Foundation- Ocean Friendly Gardens
- California Friendly® Maintenance Guide and The Waterwise Garden – Free guidebooks! Read individual chapters online or download the entire book.
Videos
- California Friendly Landscaping Video – 8-minute video covering the basics of creating a California Friendly® garden
- Garden Spot on Mulch – 3-minute video on mulch and how it can help you save water
- The Shed Show – Fun and informative video series by Irvine Ranch Water District
- Episode 1: Pollinator Gardens
- Episode 2: Small Space Transformation
- Episode 3: Watering Tips for a Gorgeous Yard
Virtual Webinars
- https://www.bewaterwise.com/classes.html – FREE Virtual Landscape Workshops! Topics include:
- California Friendly® and Native Landscape Training
- Turf Removal and Garden Transformation Workshop
- Garden Design Workshop
- Rainwater Capture
- Irrigation Basics & Water Use Efficiency
- Drip Irrigation Maintenance & Troubleshooting
- Deciphering Your Irrigation Controller
- https://www.cnps.org/gardening/webinars – FREE Webinars on a variety of gardening topics hosted by the California Native Plant Society
- Native Gardening 101: Planting Natives – recorded 1 hour webinar hosted by the California Native Plant Society on how to effectively plant natives that will lead to long term success in your garden!
Template Pre-inspection and Post-inspection Forms:
These are the forms used by the Program inspectors to verify your project area square footage and other program requirements during the pre-inspection and post-inspection:
More Rebates for Indoor and Outdoor Devices:
- Residential Customers: https://www.mwdoc.com/save-water/rebates/residential-rebates/
- Commercial Customers: https://www.mwdoc.com/save-water/rebates/commercial-rebates/