Kelly Kopp

Short Bio 

Dr. Kelly Kopp is a Professor of Plants, Soils & Climate and Director of the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping at Utah State University. A nationally recognized expert in urban water conservation, turfgrass science, and homeowner irrigation behavior, Dr. Kopp has led the Water Check Program and Utah Growing Water Smart initiatives, which have helped thousands of Utah residents reduce outdoor water use. She is a frequent media voice on sustainable landscaping and drought resilience across the Intermountain West.

Long Bio

Dr. Kelly Kopp is a Professor and Extension Water Conservation Specialist at Utah State University and Director of the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL). A nationally recognized expert in urban water conservation, turfgrass science, and homeowner irrigation behavior, she has dedicated her career to helping citizens and communities achieve sustainable outdoor water use.

Dr. Kopp leads research and outreach programs that translate science into measurable conservation outcomes, including the Water Check Program, which provides in-yard irrigation audits and behavioral guidance to Utah homeowners*, and the Utah Growing Water Smart initiative, which helps cities integrate water efficiency into planning and policy. Her work on drought-tolerant turfgrasses, smart irrigation systems, and consumer adoption of water-wise practices has shaped conservation programs across the western United States.

She is also a trusted media voice on drought, landscape water efficiency, and lawn management, appearing in the KSL documentary A Higher Purpose (2025) and numerous television and radio segments, including KSL Radio (July 2025). Dr. Kopp’s expertise has been featured by Apartment Therapy, the American Water Works Association’s “The Flow”, and in over 30 national radio and TV interviews for National Lawn Care Month (2024).

Through her research, leadership, and communication, Dr. Kopp bridges science, policy, and homeowner behavior to drive lasting water savings across communities.

Relevant Media Appearances

• A Higher Purpose documentary by KSL in Utah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvM9HVfTIyk
• July 23, 2025, KSL Radio: interview on the current state of drought in Utah and what citizens can do to reduce outdoor water use.
• June 2024, The Flow (newsletter of the Intermountain Section of the American Water Works Association): Requested and contributed article on the Water Check Program (irrigation auditing program in the Salt Lake Valley).
• Web article: Interview with Apartment Therapy on the beginning of the growing season and being efficient with outdoor water use. Apartment Therapy is a media company “dedicated to helping people transform their lives by providing inspiration, instruction, tools, and connection to help them create beautiful, organized, and healthy homes”.
  https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/watering-lawn-expert-tips-37402474
• April 2024: Participated in 30 + radio and TV interviews on sustainable lawn management practices and the benefits of natural grass for National Lawn Care Month. Stations were nationwide and ranged from California to Massachusetts and everywhere in between (I can get you station numbers if you need).