Las Vegas Valley converted 250 million sq ft of lawn to save water, saving 203 billion gallons; researchers found turf removal can raise summer land-surface temperatures about 20°C

• A major effort to remove grass lawns across the Las Vegas Valley has saved 203 billion gallons of water, but environmental research shows that the large-scale change has also brought a serious rise in local surface temperatures.
• According to data from the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes Rebate programme, property owners across the metropolitan area have removed 250 million square feet of non-functional grass since 1999.
• The programme offers financial incentives of up to $5 per square foot to help residential and commercial property owners replace water-heavy lawns with