Texas, one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, has seen a remarkable increase in its population, soaring to 30 million residents by 2022—an addition of approximately 9 million people since 2000. This growth has resulted in the proliferation of impervious surfaces like buildings, roads, and parking lots. It has also led to the expansion of turf-dominated landscapes, including lawns, parks, sports fields, golf course roughs, and roadsides.

Turfgrass covers about 65 million acres across the United States, making it the third most widely grown crop behind corn and soybeans. With an estimated annual value of $60 billion, the turfgrass industry supports nearly 1 million jobs related to its production, installation, and management.

Beyond its economic significance, turfgrass plays a crucial role in urban environments, offering various environmental, social, and economic benefits. These include providing recreational spaces, enhancing aesthetic appeal and property values, mitigating urban heat islands, controlling soil erosion, recharging groundwater, and sequestering carbon.

However, climate change, recurrent droughts, increasing costs of potable water, and increasing urban water demands have led to potable water restrictions for turfgrass irrigation. Moreover, improper use of pesticide and fertilizer inputs poses environmental implications.