Should you use recycled water on your golf course?
According to the United States Golf Association, in 2014, 13% of U.S. golf courses were irrigating with recycled water. In Orange County, for example, as many as 60% of golf courses incorporated water reuse. Using recycled water is not only better for the environment, but it’s also cheaper than using potable water.
How much water does a golf course use in a year?
Golf courses use a great deal of water for irrigation and other purposes. A typical 150-acre golf course uses approximately 200 million gallons of water a year, enough to supply 1,800 residences with 300 GPD of water. If the golf course is associated with a golf community or resort, domestic water use must also be taken into account.
Do golf courses use potable water?
During periods of drought and water use restrictions, it is not hard to understand why many communities are concerned about golf course use of potable water supplies, either from municipal sources or from on-site wells. In response, many golf courses have developed alternative irrigation water supplies that do not depend on potable sources.
What is the Dairy Creek golf facility recycling program?
The overall goal is to recycle and reuse all products used at the golf facility and completely eliminate the need to haul any waste to the landfill. Dairy Creek is one of three county golf courses in San Luis Obispo under the direction of Golf Course Superintendent Josh Heptig.
What percentage of golf courses use recycled water?
As previously noted, 12 percent of 18-hole courses use recycled water for irrigation. The most common reason cited for not using it was a lack of an available source for recycled water as indicated by 53 percent of respondents.
Do golf courses use potable water?
In all, the L.A.-area golf courses annually use about 3,000 acre-feet (977 million gallons) of recycled water and about 5,000 acre-feet (1.6 billion gallons) of drinking water, according to the DWP. The golf courses on average account for about 1% of the city's total use of potable water.
Do golf courses use GREY water?
In fact, an increasing number of courses are using effluent water – often referred to as “gray water.” Government regulations and water availability have led to the increased use of gray water at golf facilities, says Brian Vinchesi, design engineer at Irrigation Consulting Inc., Pepperell, Mass.
Do California golf courses use reclaimed water?
Water-Thirsty Golf Courses Need to Go Green And we're using reclaimed water in a very specific, measured way." A lot of golf courses use recycled or reclaimed water, but Friedlander says Pelican Hill is different. "We're here at the practice facility at Pelican Hill golf club.
Do golf courses use recycled water?
Nationwide, approximately 13% of golf courses use recycled water for irrigation. More facilities would gladly convert to using recycled water, but the main limitation is the lack of a piping system to deliver the recycled water to golf courses, which can cost $1 million per mile or more to install.
What type of water do golf courses use?
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), which serves 105 of the golf courses, draws from the California Water Project, the Colorado River and the aquifer. Kessler, who heads up the Coachella Valley Golf and Water Task Force, said much of the water used to irrigate golf courses is non-potable.
Why is recycled water good for golf?
The large expanses of turfgrass grown on golf courses can absorb relatively large amounts of nitrogen and other nutrients often found in recycled water. This characteristic of turfgrass can minimize the chances of groundwater con- tamination from recycled irrigation water.
How much water does California golf courses use?
90 million gallonsIn California, an average 18-hole golf course sprawls over 110 to 115 acres and conservatively uses almost 90 million gallons of water per year, enough to fill 136 Olympic-size swimming pools, said Mike Huck, a water management consultant who works with golf courses statewide.
How do golf courses get water?
Golf courses use a variety of water sources for turfgrass irrigation including groundwater, surface water (lakes, rivers and reservoirs), recycled water, and municipal potable water supplies.
How much water do golf courses use in Nevada?
Fact: A single, 18-hole round of golf at a typical Las Vegas golf course requires 2,507 gallons of water.
Where does Palm Springs get its water?
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) relies on four sources of water to provide service to its customers: groundwater, recycled water, imported water from the State Water Project and the Colorado River via the Coachella Canal, a branch of the All-American Canal.
Is the Coachella Valley running out of water?
Desert Water Agency spokeswoman Ashely Metzger said the Coachella Valley has plenty of water in its large groundwater aquifer for now, but agreed more conservation is critical.
What is golf course water reuse?
Golf Course Water Reuse. Water reuse is a great option for golf course irrigation. According to the United States Golf Association, in 2014, 13% of U.S. golf courses were irrigating with recycled water. In Orange County, for example, as many as 60% of golf courses incorporated water reuse.
How much water does a golf course use?
Golf courses use a great deal of water for irrigation and other purposes. A typical 150-acre golf course uses approximately 200 million gallons of water a year, enough to supply 1,800 residences with 300 GPD of water.
How to keep water free of algae and odor?
One of the best ways to keep water free of the algae and odor is having a robust aeration system. Active aeration improves water quality and helps prevent fish kills by degrading organic waste, reducing algae, and slowing accumulation of sediment. It also reduces odors and helps control mosquito populations.
Is waste water saline?
Wastewater is less saline than seawater, considerably lowering the cost of desalination. Fluence manufactures efficient NIROBOX ™ modular desalination units that are ideal for golf courses and compact enough to hide easily.
Is it expensive to build a wastewater pipeline?
It’s very expensive and energy-intensive to build and maintain pipelines for transporting the wastewater to and from distant treatment plants for reuse. Instead, it makes more sense to treat the wastewater on-site and then reuse it locally.
Is golf a sustainable community?
In a 2020 article, The New York Times published recommendations for finding a sustainable golf community , advising home-seekers to consider among other factors, how much and when a golf community uses water and whether it uses recycled wastewater to irrigate.
Do golf courses have to use domestic water?
If the golf course is associated with a golf community or resort, domestic water use must also be taken into account. Golf course managers also have to maintain water features like ponds and water hazards, which are highly vulnerable to eutrophication and associated odors, algae, and toxicity.
What are some alternative irrigation sources for golf courses?
These include: Storage ponds to collect storm runoff water that might otherwise be lost and wasted. Use of tertiary treated effluent from municipal sewage treatment facilities.
How much money has the United States Golf Association given to improve grasses?
Improved Grasses that Require Less Water. Since 1982 the United States Golf Association has distributed more than $18 million through a university grants program to investigate environmental issues related to the game of golf, with a special emphasis on the development of new grasses that use less water and require less pesticide use.
What grasses are used in golf?
Ongoing breeding work on zoysiagrass (Texas A&M), saltgrass (Colorado State and Arizona State), annual bluegrass (Minnesota and Penn State Universities), alkaligrass (Loft's), fairway crested wheatgrass (Utah State), colonial bentgrass (Univ. of Rhode Island) and a number of grass species at Rutgers University and at other commercial seed companies, will provide new grass varieties for golf that reduce water and pesticide use for decades to come.
How to reduce over irrigation?
Using sophisticated on-site weather stations, weather reporting services and other resources to determine accurate daily irrigation replacement needs, thus reducing over-irrigation. There also is a considerable effort being made to adapt various types of sensors to evaluate turf soil moisture replacement needs, including tensiometers, porous blocks, heat dissipation blocks, neutron probes, and infrared thermometry.
Why are golf courses capped with sand?
Golf course sites with poor or inconsistent soils are capped with a 6-inch layer of sand to allow uniform water infiltration and a significant reduction in water use by reducing runoff and avoiding over-application of irrigation water. Educational Opportunities Concerning Water Use and Conservation.
What is tertiary treated effluent?
Use of tertiary treated effluent from municipal sewage treatment facilities. This recycled water provides moisture and nutrients to the golf course while helping the municipality avoid discharging the effluent water into nearby rivers.
What is the USGA?
The USGA promotes and conserves the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interests of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it. The USGA: Celebrating 125 Years. Design Philosophy From Female Golf Course Architects. GIVING.
What is recycled water?
Recycled water is an increasingly attractive alternative to the often high-priced, limited sup-ply of potable water available for irrigating golf courses. Depending on recycled water quality, irri-gation with such water is often better tolerated by turfgrasses than by other landscape plants. Golf courses, with their large expanses of turf and their educated and trained maintenance staffs are par-ticularly well-suited to incorporate recycled water in their irrigation programs. Good communica-tion among golf course operators, knowledgeable
What are the nutrients in recycled water?
Frequently, they may contain enough macro or major nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potas-sium, to figure significantly in the fertilization pro-gram for the golf course. The economic value of these nutrients can be substantial. Even where the quantities of nutrients are low in the recycled water, plants use the nutrients very eciently. However, in some cases, such constant nutrient (especially nitrogen) availabil-ity makes it dicult to control turfgrass growth and maintain a proper fertility program. For example, excess nitrogen applied to cool-season grasses during hot, dry summer months (that is, during peak water use) or to warm-season grasses after overseeding with cool-season grass in the fall, can cause excess succu-lent growth that makes the turfgrass more susceptible to pathogens or environmental and trac stress. As a consequence, the application of plant growth regula-tors may be required, and additional cultural prac-tices such as mowing and dethatching may be needed on a more frequent basis.
What does purple mean on a golf course?
On new golf courses, purple irrigation system components generally signify and warn unsus-pecting users of the presence of recycled water. On existing golf courses, all buried components of the existing irrigation system are often exempted from the color coding requirements. Generally, a golf course will be required to label all visible irri-gation system components with purple tape, tags, paint, etc.
Is recycled water toxic to plants?
Recycled water may contain excessive residual chlorine, a potential plant toxin. Chlorine toxicity is only associated with recycled waters that have been disinfected with chlorine-containing com-pounds. Chlorine toxicity will occur only if high levels of chlorine are applied directly onto foliage, a situation that is likely to occur where recycled water goes straight from a treatment plant to an overhead irrigation system.
What golf course has zero waste?
Grandpa used to say, “Waste not, want not.” Dairy Creek Golf Club in San Luis Obispo, Calif., is taking that phrase literally and making efforts to become the first zero-waste golf facility in the nation. The overall goal is to recycle and reuse all products used at the golf facility and completely eliminate the need to haul any waste to the landfill.
What can be reused on a golf course?
Reuse of byproducts – The composting operation provides a significant amount of material that can be reused on the golf course. The initial focus is on spreading the compost on the golf course to improve soil quality, and using a portion of compost along with worm castings in the production of compost tea. The hope is that the compost and compost tea will contribute to soil fertility and natural disease suppression, a process that is still under evaluation. Another positive aspect of the operation is the reuse of grease and oil from the restaurant in the production of bio-diesel to fuel the diesel powered tractors and golf course equipment. Although this requires some thought, planning, and logistics, this is another example of “what happens on the golf course stays on the golf course.”
What is composting in golf?
Food and green waste composting – A composting facility was created at the maintenance facility to decompose food and green waste for reuse on the golf course. Many golf courses and homeowners are familiar with green waste composting techniques: green (grass clippings) plus brown (leaves and wood chips) plus moisture, and given a little time, there is a compost that can be incorporated into planter beds or divot mix. The green waste part of the equation was relatively easy. Grass clippings from greens are spread into the rough and out of play areas or added to the compost bin, and clippings in all other areas are returned to the turf. Brown material (leaves and tree limbs) are run through a shredder and added to the compost pile. The bigger challenge was handling food waste from the restaurant operation. Because of sanitation and health codes, special composting containers were necessary for non-vegetable food waste to control vectors and odors. Dairy Creek partnered with EPA Inc. to install worm bins at the maintenance facility to create a vermiculture operation that is capable of rapidly reducing restaurant waste. Earthworms are incredibly fast and efficient at decomposing lettuce and other vegetable waste, and the worm bins can easily handle the daily vegetable waste stream from the restaurant. Two food composters, which typically cost $10,000 each, were donated by San Luis Obispo Integrated Waste Management Authority. With the covered bins, it is possible to incorporate up to 10 percent fats (meats and other food wastes) into the compost without causing problems with odor or vermin. Each bin holds approximately three to four cubic yards and is capable of processing 150 lbs. of food waste each day. The resulting compost and worm castings will be broadcast onto the golf course or incorporated into a compost tea that will be sprayed on the course.
What is the goal of zero waste?
According to the Zero Waste Alliance of Portland, Ore., the overall goal of the concept is to eliminate solid waste, hazardous waste, toxics, and emissions and change our focus to looking at the by-products generated in our daily lives as potential resources. In short, our waste products should have future applications and not simply end up in a landfill. Key to the program is choosing items used in our businesses and households with the end product in mind. As a result, there will be less risk to people and the environment, better efficiency, and lower overall costs.
Is dairy creek golf course a good example of waste management?
The rolling terrain and the beautiful natural environment are key aspects of Dairy Creek Golf Club and that’s the way Heptig wants it. Keep it natural. If Dairy Creek is successful in getting to zero with their waste management program, they will be a hero in the community and a wonderful example and model for other golf courses.
How much water does a golf course use?
Water is one of the biggest costs to golf courses, and this is another reason why many have tried to save as much water as possible. Depending on the location of the golf course and the climate, an 18-hole course can use on average 2.08 billion gallons of water per day. Depending on the amount of water needed, a typical golf course can spend between $7,000 and $108,000 per year.
How can golf courses save water?
One of the ways that golf courses can save water is to reduce the need for it in the first place. In the past, courses used Bermuda grasses as these were fast-growing and tough. However, research has been going on into alternatives that not only need less water but can also handle more salt. Poor quality water often has a higher salt content, which can be bad for the grasses. By increasing their tolerance, water from more sources can be used.
Where Is The Water Used?
When you ask people who they think would use the most water, many of them would probably say agriculture and farming. Along with farming, golf courses use roughly as much water, or at least they used to. Many countries have now imposed water restrictions on all of the businesses and farms that use water and limited the amount they can use in a year.
How is water extracted from a shaft?
A shaft is dug down to the water source , and then the water is extracted for irrigation. As with ground-level water, the levels can fluctuate through the year and can also be used by municipal water companies as well.
Why is there more demand for water?
As well as trying to reduce pollution, rising temperatures have seen more demand on water supplies that has to be managed to ensure there is always fresh water available. Over the past few years, more countries have had to impose water restrictions and spend more money on their infrastructure to ensure no water is lost.
Do golf courses need irrigation?
Many courses will have a lot of open grass areas that are not strictly part of the course. This grass also needs irrigation, but that increases the demand for water. To counteract this, some courses have removed the areas of grass that are not needed and replaced it with cacti can desert-loving plants. These need little irrigation, and they are also a good contrast to the green fairways and greens.
Do golf courses have water restrictions?
Along with this, they will often have other facilities such as clubhouses, conference facilities, and other areas that may also need to use water. The restrictions placed on golf courses has meant that they have had to implement strategies to monitor and save water where possible.
