Enviro Blog: Water Management

This post is a part of the TRF 4100 environmental blog assignment

Fresh water is an increasingly important commodity in our world. As fresh water sources become less available, societies are striving to increase our water efficiency and reduce pollution that goes into our rivers and lakes. Golf courses are often viewed as an unnecessary drain on our fresh water, and courses that used to rely on fresh water as an irrigation source are forced to find other means of irrigation. Wherever we get our water from, it is important to evaluate how we in the golf industry can reduce the water we use. There are several ways the Olds College 3-hole golf course can do this.

Equipment Wash Area

Every golf course has some designated area for rinsing and cleaning machines. Removing grass clipping from mowers and reels reduces wear on these machines and makes sure there ready to use for the next employee. However, a lot of water can be used during this process. We want to find a way to reduce or recycle this water and stop it from entering our environment and water ways. Many new systems of water recycling for golf courses are coming onto the market. They offer methods of removing grass clippings from equipment and putting the water through a microbial bath to eliminate toxins.

The company ESD Waste2Water offers some exciting innovations for wash pads and mixing areas.

Irrigation Water

The irrigation water to be used on the 3-hole development will be coming from the neighboring Olds College wetlands. This is an exciting project to see the efficacy of man-made wetlands and their use in filtering water. Water will enter the wetlands and be put through a series of canals to filter the water. The water will then flow to a holding pond and will be available for use on the 3-hole course. This is just another way we will be practicing environmental stewardship and water recycling.

Best Management Practices

The following BMPs will be implemented for the 3-hole course and are practiced and recorded regularly:

• Water will be tested monthly. Areas to be tested are any water entrance points and exit points on the site, as well as any major holding ponds.
• If water pH is high, the use of acid injection and sulphur burning can be used to lower pH.
• In the case of high salts, a program of gypsum applications timed with rainfall will be introduced to reduce salts and improve turf health.
• In the case of algae forming on the water and a reduction in oxygen in the water, a fountain can be added to improve aeration in the water.
• The use of variable frequency drive pumps will be used. This allows for effective management of the amount of water that is pumped onto the course and reduces irrigation system wear.
• Irrigation audits can be performed regularly by the Olds College students to test the efficacy of rotors and nozzles on the course.