In meetings with Denver Water, the LCMA has learned that, even if Denver experiences a heavier than usual Monsoon season this summer, the reservoirs that provide our water would still be at or below 71% of their normal volume. The LCMA is cognizant of the ongoing drought and water restrictions and has implemented modified Design Guidelines for this Summer 2026 season.
Irrigation
Complying with watering restrictions means reducing water usage, not ceasing to water altogether. Not irrigating this summer may cause turf lawns and planting areas to die, in which case, those areas will need to be restored to their original condition when Denver Water ends the Stage 1 drought restrictions.
In addition, dead turf and other plant material in yards can become fuel in the event of a fire, creating hazards for your home and the homes around you. Trees are also costly to replace and take a long time to mature, so keeping the trees alive through regular watering is important for Lowry’s tree canopy.
Irrigating within the bounds of what Denver Water allows this year decreases the likelihood of costly landscaping replacements in the future.
Utilize the watering days allotted to you by Denver Water. As a reminder, please water on the following days of the week after 6 pm and/or before 10 am:
- Even-numbered addresses – Sunday and Thursday
- Odd number addresses – Wednesday and Saturday
- Multi-Family, Commercial, and HOA’s – Tuesday and Friday
Please note that the LCMA has no oversight or authority to enforce Denver Water’s watering restrictions. Go to denverwater.org for more information.
Landscape Maintenance
The LCMA realizes that drought conditions can make turf maintenance more challenging, but please note the following landscaping Design Guidelines:
- Turf areas must continue to be maintained through mowing, weeding, and general upkeep.
- Hardscape and groundcover (concrete, rock beds, mulched areas) must be kept weed-free.
- Shrubs and other vegetation must be contained within your property boundaries.
More information about the LCMA’s Landscaping Design Guidelines can be found here: https://bit.ly/lcmalandscaping
Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping is a great option to reduce water usage. The LCMA provides pre-approved xeriscaping landscape plans that can be implemented without seeking approval; otherwise property owners may submit a Design Review Request for their own xeriscape landscape design. More information is available on our website: https://bit.ly/lowryxeriscaping
- Non-plant ground cover, such as mulch or rock, must be less than 50% of a landscaped area.
- Artificial turf is limited to backyards only and must be the color of natural grass.
- It is a common misconception that xeriscaping does not require irrigation or maintenance. In fact, native plants do require irrigation to survive (typically drip lines), and xeriscaped areas must be maintained like any other landscaped area.
Fence Re-staining
Because fence re-staining generally requires power washing beforehand, the LCMA will not be requiring property owners to re-stain their fencing while official drought restrictions exist. Fences must still be maintained in good structural condition.
Trees
The LCMA, during its weekly inspections, has identified unpruned trees as one of the biggest hazards in the neighborhood.
Denver requires a minimum of eight feet of clearance between branches and sidewalks, alleys, and streets. Trees should be regularly pruned such that any branches extending beyond your property line are at least eight feet above grade and dead branches should be removed.
More information on tree maintenance from the Denver Forester can be found here: https://bit.ly/denverforester
Other Maintenance Concerns:
The LCMA would like to remind you of a few other things this summer:
- All properties with alley-facing garages must have house numbers on both the front side and the alley-facing side of their property. More information can be found here: https://lowrydenver.com/owner-resources/hoa-guidelines/#address-numbers
- If utilizing mulch in any of your landscaping, the LCMA recommends using mulch glue to keep mulch in place.
- Plant material like shrubs must be contained inside the boundaries of your property.
- Shrubbery must be maintained and pruned.
- If you identify a sidewalk that requires maintenance, please contact the City of Denver by calling 311 or filing a report on denvergov.org.
- No motorized vehicles, including e-bikes and e-scooters, may be used inside LCMA parks.
- Trash cans must be stored out of sight (behind fencing or in the garage) except for from 5 pm the day before trash pick-up to 10 pm the day of trash pick-up.
- Please use caution when traveling and entering/exiting alleys and be on the lookout for pedestrians and bikers.