Water & Architecture

[JSPayne]

I'm sure anyone in tune with the news and especially those living in California are well aware of the water worries that we face in the very immediate future. As I sit here at my desk reading articles from the SacBee about a number of water-related issues, including lack of rain and snow fall in CA versus average and even last year, which was a mild winter as well, new restrictions being put in place to protect the Delta and endangered species there, and the possibility of a long-debated giant canal to feed water from NorCal to SoCal, the worry lines are beginning to form about the future of water for my property and other courses in our area.

I'm sure we all have a story or two to tell.....I already know one superintendent I'm close with in the East Bay who was put under mandatory cutbacks, had to turn off around 100 sprinklers and lost quite a bit of turf in outlaying rough areas, and STILL got hit with overuse penalities at the end of the year.

What is everyone else seeing out there? How will this effect maintenance at your favorite course? How will it affect architecture, both new and old? Will we see a growing need for more water infastructure (i.e. larger or more numerous ponds, new irrigation systems, water holding tanks, etc)? How will the playability and aesthetics of your favorite course change if large areas of turf are needing to be rennovated to more drought tolerant species or landscaping?

I just became part of an educational committee for our local superintendents association and we have decided to focus our education all next year on water and how we can try and be proactive in conservation and use on our courses, as well as educating the public as to how well golf courses actually do use water and what benefits we serve to the larger water cycle in general. I'm just interested to hear ideas, thoughts and stories from far and wide that I can pass on and share with my peers.

Fingers crossed for more rain and snow like we're getting just now......if only to slightly delay the inevitable.

[Tom Naccarato]

JSPayne,
I just got home about a half hour ago, and in the dimming last minutes of daylight, looked over at Mount Baldy covered in snow. Make that plastered. Its been a long time since I've seen it that covered this early in the winter season. (is it even winter yet?) SoCal can have some water coming its way, but like anything SoCal, taking a page of how we chop off our nose to spite ourselves, most of that melting snow will make its way to the ocean.

I just don't get it.

Anyway, I think California ultimately has the best option for all of this. I've been playing a lot of Kikuyu-grassed courses that don't take a lot of water to keep the grass growing. I'm really starting to like to hit off of Kikuyu, especially some of the places I've played when its actually running F&F. I'm not advocating the noxious weed, I'm just befriending it as a suitable alternative. Me & Kikuyu, we be mates.....

[JSPayne]

Tom,

Forgive my ignorance, but what part of the country do you live in? In all honestly, I don't know if the Midwest or East Coast are experiencing any water issues remotely similar to ours in California. And if my worries are indeed region specific, perhaps there won't be much interest on this board, since our posters range far and wide. But there are a good chunk of courses of interest in CA that I think many in this forum would be concerned about changing due to water limitations.

Quite a few courses in this Sacramento area have gone the way of switching over to Bermuda. Some are just trying to encourage the stand they already have that started out as just a weed while others are actually interseeding the whole course with it. I don't mind Bermuda, or even Kikuyu when managed properly, but it is still proving very difficult to get good establishment of those grasses such that there is no need to overseed (a very water hungry project) or try to put out enough water to keep the cool-season grasses alive where the warm-season grasses refuse to take hold (i.e. shade, low lying areas).

Converting to warm-season grasses may just be one small part of the answer, and may not even work for everyone. And what about those courses that are already warm season, yet still get called upon equally for cutbacks by an indifferent water resources board? Most government agencies unfortunately don't ask many questions about grass types before asking for a 30% reduction in use.

[JSPayne]

BTW......a chilling excerpt from the SacBee article I was just reading:

"Recent events have revealed the truth: California is reaching the limit of its water supplies, and the economy and the environment are suffering for it.

The future offers even harsher realities: Global warming is drying up the snowpack and natural disasters could shatter the Delta.

Now, the state's water planners are proposing the most sweeping landscape change in America, resurrecting an audacious notion for re-plumbing this state – a controversial idea that many thought died long ago.

Central to their plan is a massive earthen canal – wider than two football fields and more than 40 miles long – that would give Southern California its first direct tap into the Sacramento River. California hasn't seen a water project of this scope in a generation.

Starting near Elk Grove, the channel would divert some of the river's flow around the fragile Delta and on to existing pumps near Tracy. From there, the river would continue to serve Los Angeles, San Diego, farms in the San Joaquin Valley, and portions of the Bay Area.

Several teams of researchers consider the canal essential to separating the state's water demand from a Delta environment under grave stress. Nine Delta fish species are being pushed toward extinction, in part, by this demand."

Two football fields wide and forty miles long? Are we thinking of building an artificial Colorado River? 

[David Stamm]

Tom,

Forgive my ignorance, but what part of the country do you live in? 

He lives in So Cal, as do I. I agree, from a water usage standpoint, Kikuyu is very viable grass if maintianed properly. Rec Park and Soule Park both use it and are none the worse for it. It's not an ideal grass all things being equal, but it sure beats grass that requires more watering.

[Lyne Morrison]

JSP - Water availability, its use and conservation is a key issue in south-eastern Australia following several years of severe drought here.

At my club a number of initiatives have been undertaken to assist in meeting revised water use targets. These have included installation of an updated / more versatile irrigation system, installation of water probes throughout the course to assist in the monitoring of moisture and the transition from cool season grasses to couch (bermuda) fairways. The move to the hardier couch has required a revised program for renovation works and re-education of the membership with regards its requirements and characteristics.

The local government has imposed a substantial reduction in the volume of water available to the course for irrigation. During the driest periods this has resulted in sprinklers having been turned off in the rough, tees and fwy carries through to the first landing zone for extended intervals. The club is investigating alternate water sources with the current focus directed toward on-site sewer mining.

There has been quite an impact on maintenance regimes, playability and aesthetics on the course. The drought has resulted in significant tree loss and stress on a course built within an important arboretum. On some holes this has had a direct influence on the arrangement of spaces along the fairway corridor - this has been felt most critically where trees of strategic significance have been removed. In some instances remodelling has been undertaken to counter this situation. In other areas tree loss may potentially affect safety on the course.

The man hours and budget allocation directed toward tree removal and management has risen significantly and has at times taken the course crew away from turf management and other course projects. This is a situation that was unheard of prior to the drought.  The health / viability of cool climate, under storey planting, has also been impacted - however one positive is improved air circulation.

When considering the above, it is inevitable that the course has at times looked tired - the members have noticed this and the superintendent has had to reconcile himself with a situation that has on occasion been difficult. This experience is typical of the region.

As a footnote we have had some recent spring showers, we are thankful for this - as is our superintendent.
 
Cheers

[Peter Pallotta]

Lyne - that was a really good post, thanks. You referenced the key aspects (e.g. maintenance, playability, aesthetics) for existing courses, but I was wondering if you could share your thoughts on how the water situation might influence your future designs, and/or golf architecture in general.
Thanks
Peter

[Lyne Morrison]

 

Peter - thanks.

From where I sit it is difficult to imagine any new work being undertaken in these parts without the provision of a reliable source of reclaimed water.

From a design perspective I have become increasingly interested in a sustainable or 'greener' approach to new works and the relationship this has with the roots of the game.  I guess, for me, it is about getting back to what really matters.

To meet this end it includes addressing infrastructure requirements responsibly - sound consideration of water management, support of habitats, using technology to assist with a prescriptive approach to the use of irrigation, being mindful not only of the earth that is moved - but also the earth that does not need to be moved. Re-establishment of fairway edges and rough through the use of native grasses and incorporating their selective use as accents elsewhere on the course - to assist with integration.

Also - limiting course length to within reasonable bounds so as to assist with resource management and to aid in keeping maintenance expenditure in hand. Working to achieve a balance between length and the need for a variety of interesting shots that require skill while playing along variable fairway grades - that culminate in green sites requiring thought and application.

Challenging and acknowledging the everyday, average golfer - within responsible and ethical boundaries - while giving him or her good reason to keep playing this wonderful game.

Sounds a touch idealistic, but worth a shot I feel.

Cheers  L

[JSPayne]

Excellent, excellent points......and very useful information.

As I said above, I know of quite a few courses who are or have undergone similar changes.....rennovating old irrigation systems and moving from cool season to warm season grasses.

I guess a big concern for me at this moment is that with the struggling economy, most courses are having trouble just staying afloat, let alone financially stable enough to undertake large scale irrigation rennovation or turf conversion projects as a way to avoid increased water bills. In better times, the investment would be easy as the long term benefits would eventually catch up with the intial cost. But I'm not sure many clubs can take that big of a hit right now, when it is only aimed at avoiding significantly smaller water penalty fines.

The unfortunately reality I see is that more courses will go the way of the one I mentioned above, where sprinklers flat out have to be shut off to many of the not-so-important areas. And over a period of any longer than a year or two, this could have siginificant effect on the overall playability and architectural intentions of the course. Lyne's statement about tree loss is a perfect case in point. Some trees serve as critical architectural elements.

My hopes would be that some here might be able to chime in with statistical proof of ways they have already achieved a certain level of water use savings, but the unfortunate reality may also be that as an industry, we are such conservation-minded stewards of water use on our properties that such efficiencies have existed for some time now, yet won't play a factor in the water departments mandates of who has to save more, regardless of how much has already been saved.

[Lyne Morrison]

JSP - your assumptions are playing out here as we speak and yes unfortunately it is the clubs with low cash reserves that are least able to explore alternate initiatives and consequently suffer most. As I see things - it is not only the club and course but also the broader golfing community that is effected.

With regards the course I was referring to above - pretty much every drop of water is accounted for. If you get stuck at your end for detail I can put you in touch with the super here to talk things through further.

Cheers,  L

[Pete_Pittock]

They just announced 2009 restrictions at 15%, some agricultural contractors get 0%. Municipalities at 50%. May revise in the next month.
Here is an article about the announcement.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/low-water-allocations-point-to-severe-challenges-in-2009,724286.shtml

[David Druzisky]

JSP
One could look to what has gome on in Arizona for the last 20 years or so where they have been fairly proactive about the issue.  Albeit, the previous generation of leaders of the state understood how important water was to the business and economy long ago and secured many great sources and had considerable infrastructure built (WPA) to convey water from where it was to where it was needed.  Those old farmers had their priorities straight back then and things probably were not as political.

That being said, the golf industry has been at the forefront of water conservation and smart use for a long time.  The sophistication of todays irrigations systems can be related to the demands of the area.  The limitation on water use for golf there was negotiated with fairly practical regulations agreed upon. Though it has dictated golf course design there for the past 15 plus years and the resulting character of the coures in the area, it also forced innovation as well.  There were good results and not so good results of course.

The industry realized that political forces would more than likely be the challenge in the short term and formed the Arizona GIA.  Superintendents, owners, management companies and local vendors and distributors all came together to form an organization with the sole purpose of representing the interests of the golf business in the state.  (Believe it or not the polititians do not always get it that golf is a big part of the economy there as it relates to tourism.)  They had the local University study the financial impact on the Arizona economy to come up with figures to support their case.  Basically a lobby.  it has worked quite well.  Other states have done the same thing with similar results.  In todays world if the voice is not strong and unified, it wont be listened to.

Beyond that again, most of the courses in the area have done what they practically can with helping with infrastructure and costs related to affluent water availability.  Even though the water quality is poor and poses other management challenges it is better than no water at all and can be managed.

There are great advancements in irrigation systems that are helping out considerabvly as well though they can be expensive to employ.  Proper head spacing and head distribution goes a long way in water conservation.  Often more that you think.  A club I work with was using more than its allotment  of water because it is an old course with more than the usual 90 acres of turf.  They were being fined a considerable amount of $.  It has a bunch of big trees too.  Very high member expectations.  A tough formula there.  The system was replaced in a renovation we did in 95.  It was just replaced again this past summer. 

The net result has thus far been a 15% savings on water and no more fine.

It is likely that player expectations will need to adjust and that will take a while.  Each course or club in areas facing water challenges are going to need to re-set their priorities.  Going back to providing good playing conditions vs. green conditions may be easy for some physically but may ding market share a bit until peole buy in.  If properly spun, it could come off well with customers too.

My first advice in all those situations is bring on an architect and irrigation designer to help you develop a plan of attack based on facts, opportunities and numbers.