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

Las Vegas is making headlines for its initiative to remove grass lawns, which has successfully conserved billions of gallons of water. Nevertheless, this environmental strategy has led to a concerning increase in local summer land-surface temperatures, soaring by around 20 degrees Celsius. As a response, water agencies are now promoting the use of water-efficient landscaping and shade trees, and new guidelines prevent grass installations in residential yards.