Don Kinzler, NDSU Extension Agent, warns that even dormant, brown lawns are vulnerable right now. To prevent permanent loss without wasting water, he recommends giving dormant lawns 1/4 inch of water every 4 to 6 weeks to keep the crown hydrated. Trees and fruit crops also need strategic watering during extended dry spells. “It’s important to not just water by the trunk, but to get it out where the roots actually are,” says Kinzler. He stresses placing the hose under the drip line—the outer boundary of the leaf canopy—where thirsty feeder roots actually drink.