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Make every drop count

TWCA is an investment in the future. Members pay more now than ever for TWCA membership because now, more than ever drought tolerant turf provides important ecological services while conserving water. For TWCA members the 30% reduction in water use represents more than saved water or reduced maintenance; every drop of water saved is energy saved, is emissions, reduced, is impact lessened.

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Our Story

​Founded in 2010 by direct competitors in the turfgrass industry, the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA) is a 501 c(3) non-profit committed to water conservation and dedicated to preserving the ecological benefits of turfgrass in the managed environment.
Our approach to conservation relies on the 3rd party peer review of objective data to qualify only those turfgrasses that demonstrate a statistically significant water saving potential over conventional varieties of the same species.  By testing with research collaborators in locations across North America, the TWCA eliminates confounding factors such as soil type, heat, and pest management from the results.

TWCA: 30 Years to Here

2022

• The first ever landscape conversion program to feature turf-to-turf conversion rolls out

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2021

•  Congressional Visit Day with Tri-Societies
• Create Data Evaluation and Statistical Analysis
• Complete Irrigation Calculator
•  Coordinate Greenscape Alliance
• Launches Tri-Societies Grant
• Initiate Advocacy grant
• Purdue University is first cooperator to earn TWCA Performance Incentive
• Serves on American Seed Trade Association Seed Advocacy Leadership Team
• SEED Ambassador

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2020

• Nothing weird happened
• TWCA Qualified Turf earns NGBS Green Building Points
• Scotts Miracle Gro acquires the turf unit of Columbia Seeds
• Program goes fully remote
• ​Tall Fescue trialing begins

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2019

• First trialing program to offer incentives for reliable data collection and submission
• Extend trialing requirements to 3 years
• Initiate partnership talks w/ other turf organizations
• Construct Penn State Berks ROS
• Evaluate Walker water use: 12% reduction in water use
• Conclude Volumetric Water Study

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2018

• Initiate Bluegrass trial
• Conclude Tall Fescue trial
• TWCA participates in Congressional visit day with ACSESS
• ​​Walker Elementary overseeds
• M Richardson leaves Research Review Committee (RRC)
• ​J Stier joins RRC
• RRC ends trialing exception
• ​Add University of Guelph as an active cooperator

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2017

• Co-chair MWELO Technical Standards and Water Budgeting Committee
• Serve on sites and lots work group for NAHB
• ​Walker Elementary overseeds
• Launch Irrigation Calculator program
• Construct ROS at Virginia Tech. Blacksburg
• Construct 2nd ROS at Purdue University
• Karcher, Hignight(s), and Purcell release Turf Analyzer
• ​TWCA Seed Producer membership increases by 150%

2016

• Constructs 2nd ROS at University of Arkansas
• Ryegrass Trial Concludes
• Ashland OR drought ends.  HTHK project begins
• Initiate Tall Fescue Trial​
• Release MWELO Calculator

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2015

• Engage with the CA DWR LSAG
• Become OR Champion for Healthy Turf. Healthy kids.
• TWCA Quarterly becomes a magazine
• ​Identify Walker Elementary for HTHK

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2014

• Add Program Administrator
• Partner w/ Project EverGreen
• Copyright Low Maintenance Protocol
• Initiate Perennial Ryegrass Trial
• ​Conduct first low maintenance trials 

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2013

• Construct Purdue ROS
• Construct University of Arkansas ROS

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2012

• Pennington Seed Company acquires NexGen (now NexGen Plant Science Center)

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2011

• ​Construct ROS at Virginia Tech, VA Beach

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2010

• ​​Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA) incorporates.  Adopts the TWCA drop and seal as the mark of quality turf with exceptional drought tolerance​

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2007

• ​4 direct competitors informally begin the TWCA

2008

• Initiate formal trialing program

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1992

• Turfgrass breeders Kenneth Hignight and Crystal Fricker independently begin selecting for drought tolerance

2002

• D Karcher introduces lightbox technology
• Karcher, Hignight(s), and M Richardson begin collaborating on Digital Image Analysis (DIA)

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Find the Member You Need
We've got all our University, Seed Producer, Industry, Breeder and Cooperator members in one place using Google maps to make it easier than ever to find the member you're looking for!

Contact us
Do you have questions about the TWCA that are not answered on tgwca.org?  Contact us directly at info@tgwca.org or call our office at 541-257-1962; we are happy to help answer your questions.

Jack is the Principal at Karlin Consulting, providing administrative services to TWCA.  His primary interest is the role of regulation in enhancing the sustainability and livability of the managed environment. Jack received his B.S. in Environmental Science from Oregon State University where he specialized in Water Science and Policy.  He is a small grants reviewer for the Mid-Willamette Valley Watersheds group for the Oregon Watershed Enhancements Board. 

Jack Karlin
​Program Administrator
jack.karlin@tgwca.org
541-257-1962