Is the existing grass dead or dormant? How much water has been put on that lawn? What kind of temperatures have you been having?

Has a good reliable soil test been done? What is the soil pH and nutrient levels? Alfalfa does better in soils with a pH in the 6.8 to 7.5 range while clovers do better at lower soil pH numbers.

More than likely that soil needs organic matter and compost is one form of organic matter. What other types of organic material is available that may be less expensive? You will need a lot of organic matter to get the soil to the optimal level of 6 to 8 percent organic matter, it takes about 10 tons of material to raise the amount of organic matter in an acre of soil 1 point.

Perhaps these simple soil tests may also be of some help.

1) Soil test for organic
material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in
a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and
replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24
hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight.
For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the
bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above
that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole
1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains
away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain
away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs
more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the
soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful
of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is
released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a
finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your
soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant
odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria
will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter
can be bad as well.

5) Life. How many
earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5,
according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that
is not healthy.

kimmq is kimmsr

@kimmq

The lawn is completely dead, and has been for at least a year. There is very little of the sod fescue left and we have been having 100+F weather. I haven't done a soil test, but I know that they soil is not healthy. The soil smells ok when wet (not as earthy as compost) but there is very little earthworms in each shovel full. Drainage is OK, but I will double check again when I do your #1 suggestion above. When I break up the compaction, I will probably add compost, and probably some leaf litter that I will have once the fall leaves start.

Spend some time now getting that soil into a good healthy condition even if you may not be able to properly water that lawn. Cooler, and sometimes wetter, weather is on the way and that would be a good time to establish ta new lawn, provided you will be able to properly water it.
If watering restrictions are not lifted starting a new lawn would not be a good idea.

kimmq is kimmsr