Local guide · Weber Basin numbers
How long should you actually run your sprinklers in Utah?
Written and reviewed by the design team at Edge Design Company, Ogden, Utah. Watering figures from Weber Basin Water Conservancy District irrigation guidelines, July 2026.
Almost every homeowner we meet with a struggling lawn is watering it more, not less. In most cases the water was never the problem.
The numbers, plainly
A Northern Utah landscape needs roughly 28 to 32 inches of water a year. In mid-summer that is about 1.5 inches per week — typically three days a week, not seven.
Each watering should put down about half an inch. Time depends on heads:
- Fixed spray heads: roughly 10–20 minutes per zone
- Rotor / gear-driven heads: roughly 30–60 minutes per zone (they apply water much more slowly)
If rotors run only 12 minutes because that is what spray zones get, those areas are underwatered by more than half. Measure with a tuna can on the lawn once — it beats guessing.
Do not water between 10 AM and 6 PM. Early morning or evening only.
Four reasons the bill is high and the lawn still looks bad
1. Heads spaced wrong
Extra run time cannot fix gaps. You drown wet areas while dry patches stay dry. The fix is moving heads, not adding minutes.
2. A leak you have not noticed
A bad valve or cracked line can lose 10–20 gallons an hour with little surface evidence. Walk the system monthly.
3. Two timer programs
Many controllers run multiple programs. Two programs watering the same zones means double water at 3 AM with no visibility. Check every program.
4. It is not water at all
Grubs and pests in late June–July look like drought. If soil is moist and the lawn is still sick, stop adding water and find the real cause.
Clay soil? Cycle and soak
Heavy valley soils cannot take half an inch in one pass — it runs off. Split into shorter cycles with about an hour between them. Sandy soil is the opposite: shorter, more frequent applications for the same weekly total.
Weber Basin smart controller rebate
A WaterSense smart controller adjusts to weather. Weber Basin offers a $100 rebate (or full cost if under $100). Apply within 60 days of purchase with proof, install photos, and serial number. Commercial sites can get 50% up to $1,500 per controller.
The honest answer: stop watering some of it
Weber Basin notes that grass areas narrower than 8 feet are hard to water efficiently — park strips, side yards, fence lines. The fix is often design: remove lawn where it never worked.
Weber Basin pays $1.25–$2.50 per square foot to convert qualifying lawn to low-water planting. That is usually where we start a yard redesign here.
Quick lawn care numbers
- Mow at 2.5–3 inches; never cut more than a third of the blade
- Mulch clippings instead of bagging
- Fertilize in April, June, and October (late fall matters most)
Common questions
How long should I run sprinklers in Utah?
About half an inch per irrigation: 10–20 minutes for fixed spray, 30–60 for rotors. Measure rather than guess.
How many days a week in Ogden?
Three days in mid-summer is enough for most lawns (~1.5 inches total). A fourth day is rare.
What time of day?
Early morning or evening — never 10 AM to 6 PM.
Why is the lawn brown if I water a lot?
Usually spacing, leaks, dual programs, or pests — not lack of total water.
Where to start: Check the controller for a second program tonight, then measure a zone with a can. If half the lawn is in places lawn should never have been, talk to us — that is a design problem.