Seasonal water restrictions kick in Thursday in Danvers and Middleton. And with water levels in the Ipswich River dropping, other local towns will soon follow suit.

In Wenham and Topsfield, voters at upcoming town meetings will decide whether homeowners with private wells must obey water bans when the river’s flow gets low.

In Danvers and Middleton, the water restriction prohibits the use of sprinklers except from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. and carries a warning for the first offense and a $100 fine for the second.

So what’s the best way for a lush-lawn-loving homeowner to cope?

Water officials say it makes no sense to simply set and forget the lawn sprinkler; the best bet is to conserve water smartly. Watering the lawn one hour before the sun comes up is best, because excess moisture won’t linger in the soil and open up the grass to disease.

“I think the biggest thing you have to do is keep an eye on the moisture,” said Ray Young, Danvers’ water and sewer supervisor. The rule of most green thumbs is the average lawn needs 1 inch of water a week, he said, and it doesn’t take that long to water it.

Other water officials said watering a lawn and a landscape too much promotes shallow roots, making the plants less resistant to drought. In fact, some said it is a good idea to let your lawn dry out a bit, and most lawns come back the next year if they go brown.

“A green lawn is a social thing,” said Wenham Water Superintendent Bruce Blanchard. “It doesn’t accomplish anything except making you feel good.”

“If you are allowed to water, it’s important that you do it selectively,” said Greg Krom, Topsfield’s water superintendent, “and you do it in a way that makes sense. If you water during the day, you lose a lot to evaporation.”

How to save water

“There are a lot of things that residents can do to reduce the water they use,” said Jess Darling, the restoration program manager for the Ipswich River Watershed Association.

A guide will soon be sent to residents in eight North Shore communities Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Topsfield, Middleton, Peabody, Salem and Wenham that will help homeowners facing water restrictions. It’s part of the Greenscapes Massachusetts program, of which the Ipswich River Watershed Association is a partner. (You can also download the brochure at www.greenscapes.org).

There’s an easy rule to see if your lawn needs water, Darling said: “If you walk on your lawn and it doesn’t stand up straight, it probably needs water.”

The booklet also has tips for figuring out how long to run a sprinkler and other ways to promote healthy plants while saving water. The Greenscapes program also offers a discount on rain barrels through The New Rain Barrel Co. in Peabody.