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Carl Rogers

Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« on: April 07, 2009, 08:08:01 PM »
Having recently passed the LEED test, and am currenntly (figuratively) still under water by that effort, I ask those of you in various parts of the world the following:

What is your average consumption of water per year?

What is your water source?

Are you under any local pressure to reduce water comsumption?

Could your course tolerate any reduced water consumption?

Does Pas Pallum grass (grass that can use salt water) solve some of these issues?

Any other comments on the subject ....

Matt_Davenport

Re: Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2009, 08:20:33 PM »
Carl,
Congrats on becoming LEED certified :o
In my area of eastern Pennsylvania, most courses utilize private wells for replenishing surface water irrigation ponds. A few courses utilize quasi-public treated water. Those that do utilize water from quasi-public entities are likely to experience somewhat significant rate increases in the near future. Here in the Delaware River Basin, the Delaware River Basin Commission requires all golf courses and other major users to have a consumptive use permit which is periodically renewed following review by the Commission. This was initiated in the 90's by DRBC to get a handle on the amount of water being used by larger commercial users.

RJ_Daley

Re: Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2009, 08:25:41 PM »
Our area is said to mimic national usage rates, which is 69 gallons per capita household.  

Our community water source just changed from deep well (which was found to exceed radium and floride EPA limits) to a very expensive water from Lake Michigan treatment plant, that brings the water in two big underground conduits of 45 miles length to service a consortium of about 60K population.  And existing Lake Michigan intake that rins a line about 30 miles was not doubled up due to a huge political football.  

They are always putting out water conservation literature.

Yes, our course could reduce by about 10-20% IMHO.  The course has a deep high cap well. In fact, one of the reasons it is said why the community high cap deep wells showed high levels of stuff beyond standards is that the underground aquifer was studied and was found to be so tapped that it was being exhausted.  That was another reason we had to go to Lake water.  Sort of the dregs were being pumped up as the wells were drawn down.  But, lake water communities have had their share of problems like cloriform contamination over the past years.

Paspulum Grass solves some problems in the right climate, obviously, IMO.

I don't know your angle Mr. Rogers, but who can disagree that water resources and conservation isn't vital?  I still can't get over the idea that they sell water for $1.50 in a 16 oz bottle at gas stations.  ::)
« Last Edit: April 07, 2009, 08:30:30 PM by RJ_Daley »
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Carl Rogers

Re: Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2009, 08:52:10 PM »
Mr. Daley,

I do not have an angle. 

Just taking an informal survey wondering if golf is under pressure to reduce consumption.  I was wondering if any of you knew some exact numbers?

Golf does not require wall to wall pure green.


Joe Hancock

Re: Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2009, 08:58:28 PM »
Golf will do just fine when it realizes a reduction in water use almost always produces better golf.

Until then, golf will scratch and claw for every gallon it can afford....

Joe
" What the hell is the point of architecture and excellence in design if a "clever" set up trumps it all?" Peter Pallotta, June 21, 2016

"People aren't picking a side of the fairway off a tee because of a randomly internally contoured green ."  jeffwarne, February 24, 2017

Duane Sharpe

Re: Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2009, 09:12:20 PM »
Having recently passed the LEED test, and am currenntly (figuratively) still under water by that effort, I ask those of you in various parts of the world the following:

What is your average consumption of water per year?

What is your water source?

Are you under any local pressure to reduce water comsumption?

Could your course tolerate any reduced water consumption?

.

Does Pas Pallum grass (grass that can use salt water) solve some of these issues?

Any other comments on the subject ....

WE use around 15 million gallons of water at Blackhawk. Our source is a pond fed from  a local river beside the course. There is no pressure at the moment for water consumption but I can tell you that they are not giving any water permits for new courses in and around the Calgary area at this time. We could tolerate a reduction but would not be wise.
Hope this helps.
Sharpee

RJ_Daley

Re: Golf Course Maintenance & Water
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2009, 10:44:03 PM »
On the subject of water restrictions, in the sand hills area of Nebraska, specifically Lincoln County were North Platte is located, they placed a moritorium on any more deep high cap wells due to the decade long drought.  The primary source of water through that area for irrigation in canals was Lake McConneghy and that was down 80feet or more.   The usage of the biggest coal fired electric gen plant in the town of Sutherland used the cannal and had reserve in Lake Maloney.  But, they had to drill many high cap wells around the plant as the response to the drought as the surface retention waters were too low.  That forced them to the moritorium for any other enterprise wanting a high cap.

Lord knows the north Georgia golf has had serious water restrictions, with causes me to wonder about how ANGC gets around what seems to be restrictions on everyone else.  Maybe Mike Young could or one of the Georgia readers could answer.
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

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