where does golf course water go

State records show there are 165 golf courses in the Phoenix area. They use various sources of water, including treated wastewater and Colorado River water. But more than half of the area's courses rely at least partially on groundwater, together pumping roughly as much from wells as the average consumption of 130,000 single-family homes.

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What factors influence how much water a golf course needs?

Oct 09, 2021 · Josh Tanner, general manager of Ironwood Country Club in Palm Desert, said Ironwood pumps its water out of the ground and pays a fee to the water agency to replenish the aquifer with imported...

What happens if you put groundwater on your golf course?

Cloninger’s study shows that in 2006, the 330 golf courses in Arizona used approximately 160,000 acre feet of water. Of those 160,000 af, approximately 80,000 af were groundwater, 38,000 af surface water, and 46,000 af effluent.

How can I improve my golf course’s water conservation?

Jun 14, 2021 · More than half of the golf courses pump groundwater, which accounted for about 46% of all golf water use in 2019. Treated effluent from wastewater plants accounted for 27% of water use, while about...

Where does the water for Phoenix golf courses come from?

any factors influence the water require-ments to grow turfgrass. A healthy, high-quality turf may need up to 1¾ inches of water per week to keep it growing vigor-ously under hot, dry, windy summer conditions. This total water requirement includes both rainfall and irrigation. Turfgrass will require much less water when the weather is cool or cloudy.

Are golf courses a waste of water?

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. golf courses consume more than 2 billion gallons of water per day, and since one in every 17 of U.S. courses is located in arid and semi-arid California, our 921 courses consume a sizable chunk of that total daily.Jun 18, 2021

How do golf courses use recycled water?

In addition to making good use of a degraded water source, turf serves a vital role in cleansing nutrients and contaminants from the recycled water as it moves through the soil and into the aquifer. Nationwide, approximately 13% of golf courses use recycled water for irrigation.May 20, 2014

What do golf courses use water for?

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.Mar 29, 2021

How much money do golf courses spend on water?

between $7,000 and $108,000 per yearCost And Amount of Water Used 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.Jul 23, 2020

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 golf courses use a lot of water?

Water use varies significantly by agronomic region. An average 18-hole golf facility in the Southwest region uses an average of 4 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre per year. An average 18-hole golf facility in the Northeast region uses an average of 0.8 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre per year.

Do golf courses use fresh water?

In 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.

Why do people irrigate golf courses?

Irrigation, which can be turned on when it's not raining or when there isn't enough rainfall, helps to stop the grass plant wilting and losing rigidity. Without an irrigation system, it's all but impossible to ensure that a golf course can remain in playable condition.Oct 16, 2019

How many gallons of water does a golf course use per day?

Audubon International estimates that the average American course uses 312,000 gallons per day. In a place like Palm Springs, where 57 golf courses challenge the desert, each course eats up a million gallons a day.Jun 11, 2008

Where do California golf courses get their water?

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.Oct 9, 2021

How many gallons does it take to water a golf course?

Courses around the U.S. suck up around approximately 2.08 billion gallons of water per day for irrigation. That's about 130,000 gallons per day per course, according to the golf industry.Jun 18, 2015

What is drainage in golf?

Drainage is a fundamental piece of golf course architecture. If a course doesn’t drain well it will rarely play well. Therefore, figuring out how to move water off the golf course is a golf course architect’s primary worry. There are two ways that an architect can move water; the natural land or through manmade drainage systems.

What type of soil is best for a golf course?

The best soil to build a golf course on is the sandy variety. Sandy soil allows shapers and construction crews to easily move and contour the ground to their desired specs. The sand also plays a pivotal role in drainage and playing conditions. Sandy soil drains better, allowing a golf course to play firm and fast on a more regular basis.

What is surface drainage?

Surface drainage was the method used by the Golden Age Architects. Seth Raynor and George Thomas (and his construction partner Billy Bell) were renowned for their abilities in this field. A great example of surface drainage is Riviera C.C., long time host of the L.A. Open. When it receives rain water runs quickly off the golf course ...

What is design build golf?

Design-Build is a philosophy that has had a resurgence at the hands of Coore & Crenshaw and Tom Doak. These two changed the industry by controlling all aspects of a golf course build. As its name suggests, Design-Build this approach involves the architects designing and building the course. The architects will work with a group ...

Why is surface drainage important?

The benefit of using surface drainage is it is the most cost effective method. It delivers the most natural and best visual aesthetics. It will also lend itself to the best playability because of the lack of drains. Drainage systems – It is ideal to avoid drainage systems when possible.

How can an architect move water?

There are two ways that an architect can move water; the natural land or through manmade drainage systems. “Pete Dye once told me that 95% of the job is making drainage look good, and there’s a lot of truth to that.”. – Tom Doak. Surface Drainage – The most natural and preferred method of drainage is surface drainage.

What is the 6th green at Santa Ana Country Club?

The 6th green at Santa Ana Country Club during construction. Surface Drainage – The most natural and preferred method of drainage is surface drainage. It is simple and entails using the land to move water off the course and into streams and other receptacles. Surface drainage is a factor that architects must consider when routing the course.

How many golf courses use recycled water?

Perhaps as many as 1,000 courses are using recycled or reclaimed water, and the United States Golf Association has made that mandatory for some areas of the Southwest. New grasses are being developed that require less moisture to thrive. Overseeding is being frowned upon.

Is golf facing a crisis over water?

And then it outlines what must be done. It won't be easy.

Do water-thirsty golf courses need to go green?

Water-Thirsty Golf Courses Need to Go Green. This Scottsdale, Ariz., golf course is one of about 16,000 across the United States. This Scottsdale, Ariz., golf course is one of about 16,000 across the United States.

Is overseeding golf green?

Overseeding is being frowned upon. Courses are being returned more to their natural state, so grass will often have to lose some of its sheen. You see, at the end of the day, for golf to go green and accommodate itself to the real world, it's simply going to have to be much more brown. Special Series.

What are the factors that affect the water availability of a golf course?

These factors can be climate, type of turf grass, agronomic and soils conditions, regulations, and water av ailability.

Why does irrigation need to vary?

Irrigation Needs. Each course will vary because of size of the irrigated area and management practices. Also, water use each year will vary depending on climatic conditions. The timing and amount of rainfall, temperatures each month, and sunshine. There is no fixed answer.

When did Arizona start using water for golf courses?

Arizona was thinking about golf course water use in 1980 when the Legislature passed the Groundwater Management Act. The GMA established the Arizona Department of Water Resources which then developed management plans in each of the newly established five Active Management Areas. The management plans regulated golf course water use within the AMAs.

What is the management plan for golf courses in Arizona?

Along with golf course design another Management Plan strategy is to encourage the use of renewable sources of water. A golf course in Arizona using 100 percent of a “renewable” source of water is not regulated by the maximum total annual water allotment. If one drop of groundwater is used to irrigate the course, however, ...

How much water does SNWA save?

That compares very favorably to Las Vegas where the SNWA has spent millions on the golf course turf reduction program over the past seven years saving approximately one billion gallons of water annually .

When did the Nevada Water Authority start a water conservation program?

Due to a lack of progress in meeting conservation goals, the Southern Nevada Water Authority in 1991 launched an aggressive multi-million dollar water conservation plan called “water smart landscapes.”. The rebate program pays residential or commercial water users, such as golf courses, $1.50 for every square foot of turf replaced ...

Does Las Vegas have water?

Despite its reputation for indulging in water-wasting ways — or perhaps because of this reputation — people take note when Las Vegas makes a special effort to conserve water. Las Vegas is viewed as the prodigal son of cities, much lauded when it takes up the good cause of water conservation after its profligate ways.

Is the GMA better than the Las Vegas turf reduction program?

Cloninger concludes that Arizona’s GMA demonstrates that the workings of effective policy and regulations is a far better water-saving option than the extensive and costly Las Vegas turf reduction program.

What time of day is the best time to water?

The most efficient time of day to water is late eveningthrough early morning (between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.).Nighttime is generally less windy, cooler and morehumid, resulting in less evaporation and a moreefficient application of water. Water pressure is alsousually better at night resulting in a more uniformapplication of water through sprinklers. Contrary topopular belief, irrigating during this period does notstimulate disease development.

How does core cultivation help with water infiltration?

Core cultivation (aeration) can resolve some waterinfiltration problems by reducing soil compaction,managing thatch, and creating openings in the turfsurface that aid in water infiltration . A reduction insoil bulk density of severely compacted soil willenhance water retention (storage) and encouragedeeper rooting, thus increasing the carrying capacityof the soil.

What is the term for the loss of water through evaporation from the soil surface?

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the term used to describethe loss of water through evaporation from the soilsurface and transpiration of water through plants.The rate of evapotranspiration (amount of water lostper day) is one of several factors that determine therequired frequency of irrigation for a given soil andplant system.

What are the best management practices for turf?

Sound cultural practices, often referred to as bestmanagement practices, are needed if a turf is to havegood drought resistance or survive dormancy.Mowing, fertilization, and cultivation (aeration) areimportant cultural practices, in addition to irriga-tion, that affects the health of a turf and its ability tosurvivedrought.

Why do putts break?

As short-game guru Stan Utley explains, "Putts break because of gravity. ". If there's a mountain to your right and a lake to your left, the land will typically slope from right to left—and that's the way a putt will tend to break.

Does a hole in golf ball count as ground under repair?

The hole, even if it's unmarked, counts as ground under repair. But because your ball was not in or touching the hole— it sounds as if the area around the hole was not marked as ground under repair—you have to play this one as it lies. You would get free relief if the hole affected your normal stance or swing.

Can you mark your ball in golf?

Only you or an authorized person (e.g., a caddie) can mark your ball, according to the rules . There's a one-stroke penalty for moving another player's ball or mark in match play. In stroke play, there is no penalty. Submit your burning questions here: ask@golfdigest.com or on Twitter @GolfDigest.