I’ve become interested in Bozeman’s concern with “bad grass.” Several letters to the Chronicle have condemned large bluegrass lawns, the kind that looks so good when luxuriating in ample moisture. They urge public condemnation, regulation, and a move toward xeriscape lawns that have low water requirements. Some recommend mandating small lawn areas with drought-tolerant grasses like buffalograss and blue grama.

While this regulatory strategy can work in new developments, few people seem eager to rip out their traditional lawns. It’s hard to imagine a successful politician mandating these costly conversions to xeriscapes. Hence, I expect more aqua angst, and more agitated letters, especially if longer, dryer, and hotter summers become the norm and water supplies are stressed. If so, there will be political demands to constrain lawn sprinkling in efforts to conserve water and energy.

I have no dog in this fight. Our place is blessed with “Old Water” (dating from 1866 and 1882) from the Kleinschmidt Canal, several springs, and 2 creeks. Our ranch is in a conservation easement and each of the 3 parcels comprising it has water. When our lawn looks dry, I merely divert a tiny bit of agricultural water and irrigate it using agricultural techniques and equipment. It lacks the elegance of automatic sprinklers, but works well. Further, we could drown any grass fire approaching our home.

My interest in this issue plaguing Bozeman’s subdivisions is strictly academic, not practical. Here’s how a political economist would address the “bad grass” problem.

There are 3 obvious approaches to this water conservation goal that are complementary, not exclusionary. Each may be tried, and one is sure to work with a minimum of disruption and rancor.

First is hectoring and condemning those with too much “bad grass” species requiring regular watering. Complainers believe others want the “wrong thing.” Homeowners should take our dry situation into account and develop an aridity sensitive conscience. People should act as though they care about others and the ecological system upon which we all depend. In sum, folks should develop a social, ecological conscience and act through love of our ecology and others’ demands for water.

Given that lawn owners draw from the common pool of municipal water, is this the likely outcome? Probably not for Bozeman is neither a Hutterite nor a small Mormon community.

Regulation is likely to be the second alternative if aridity becomes dire. For example, water lawns only between 6 and 10 AM. If your house number is even, water on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If odd, water on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. If Jewish or Seventh Day Adventist (or any other Saturday Sabbath observer), you may have a special permit to water on Sunday.

This is a recipe for confusion and conflict. “Our house number is odd, but I’m Lutheran and my wife is Jewish and she cares for our lawn.” The permutations of confusion, deception, and cheating are endless. The City Council, however, might enjoy creating a water police. (On an August NPR program, a recent mayor demonstrated love, enjoyment, and advocacy for more regulation.) Rules work on canals, but good farmers understand irrigation regimes. Bozeman’s elected officials may not understand the consequences different property rights regimes have on water allocation.

Finally, if scarcity looms, Bozeman could price water on an escalating scale. The amount required for normal household use would be cheap. The next Y thousand are more expensive and some folks reduce car washing and garden watering. The third increment of water usage might be quite expensive. The fourth, even more costly. After a high water bill this is a likely comment; “Dear, let’s replace our bluegrass lawn with buffalograss.” Among their other advantages, markets economize on love, always a scarce resource.

Pricing an increasingly dear commodity, water, is the ecological and humane approach—feedbacks are built in, conflicts and meddling minimized. Higher prices cause people to act as though they care about others. Luckily Bozeman is moving toward price-based water conservation. The Chronicle recently reported that new, “Residential rates will be based on the amount of water used and will decrease about 4 to 5 percent for customers whose consumption is low to average. Customers who use lots of water will see their rates increase….”

Good sense indeed.