That might have been too sudden a change for the shallow roots. The brown areas are the KBG in normal summer dormancy.

I'm trying to remember if we've talked about weaning grass off of a daily regimen to a weekly one. You should not do it cold turkey. What you should have done was back off on the frequency and move up on the duration gradually. For example you were watering on days 1, 3, and 5. Then on day 1 you would water twice as long as you normally did and then skip the next normal watering day. But watch it carefully! Then on the next day (day 4) repeat the watering timing from day 1 and see if you can skip to day 6 - and watch it carefully. Then double the time again and skip 3 (or 4) days. What this does is deepen the moisture in the soil and allows the roots of the grass to explore deeper into the soil to pick up that moisture further down. It also gives the soil microbes a chance to explore deeper down. Once you have deep roots down in the cooler/deeper soil, the KBG will not go dormant as soon or stay dormant as long in the summer.

If you find you have runoff, try applying some clear shampoo at a rate of 3 ounces (or more) per 1,000 square feet once now and repeat in 2 weeks. That will allow the water to penetrate deeper. You can repeat this as often as you like or need to.

I remember reading some of your earlier posts but I can't remember where you live. Was it back up the freeway from LA toward the San Fernando Valley?

I remembered you were some distance away from USC but I didn't remember it was THAT far!

I got into the 'what you should have done' and forgot to answer what to do now. Water 2x per week at about 1/2 inch each time. Watch for runoff, but if you are not getting runoff at 1 inch, then 1/2 should go down easy.

Overseeding will solve all your issues, whatever they are or become. Do you know where you will be getting seed? And what seed varieties? Some people make a big project out of seed selection.

I think I'll have to play around with my watering schedule now. Next summer I will definitely have my overseeded lawn trained to take 1" of water a week all at one time. I know the organic approach and new watering schedule does not work quickly.

I chose a seed from a company called Delta Bluegrass company with a product called Bolero Plus. That's what my backyard sod was when I had it installed. It is 90% dwarf fescue and 10% kentucky bluegrass. They claim the roots go very deep and it is drought tolerant. See the link

http://deltabluegrass.com/homeowners/about/dbg-res/bolero_plus

And in case you were curious about my USC affiliation, I graduated in 2000 and returned to northern CA where I was born and raised.
Thanks for your wisdom dchall, I appreciate it.

Any way to determine runoff for a fairly level backyard lawn bordered by bark?
There are no gutters or sidewalks in the back like there is in the front yard.

Any advice?

What do you mean by determine runoff? Are you getting runoff? Or are you trying to determine if you are getting runoff? The only way I know there is to watch it. Let it run for 15 minutes and check it out. Then come back at 30 minutes, 45, and an hour...assuming it takes longer than that to get a full inch.

The solution to runoff is to spray any clear shampoo at 3 ounces (or more) per 1,000 square feet followed by an inch of irrigation. Repeat the shampoo in 2 weeks. I use generic baby shampoo and/or Alberto Vo5. They're cheap.

Don't forget where you got your seed so you can get more if you decide to overseed again in the future.