Marshalling his troops - Pitchcare

Water collection
and the provision
of storage
facilities will be
essential in
future planning
36
It may not be necessary
to sell off the family
silver to plan and put into
operation a new
irrigation system
and green or to encompass fairways,
approaches and walkways.
Good design, using sprinkler
densograms for example, can save
water and take into account the need
for the conservation of the
peripheral landscape. It may not be
necessary to sell off the family silver
to plan and put into operation a new
irrigation system. Provided the
overall plan is discussed and
approved by all concerned, the
grand plan should incorporate all
future requirements. A phased
development can then be put into
operation, for example, installing
initially greens and tees but with
adequate pipework, cabling
infrastructure and pumping capacity
to allow for future expansion to
encompass aprons, fairways and
walkways.
Balancing the infiltration rate with
the sprinkler
precipitation/application
rate and the
incorporation of a
correctly positioned
weather station and soil
moisture sensors, along
with traditional ways of
observing soil moisture
deficit, can be
demonstrated to be
effective in managing
water, some estimates
suggesting as much as a
20% saving.
However, we should
also take into
consideration, when
planning and designing
any system, the complex
issues of water
resourcing. On the
Continent, some
countries are already
restricting the annual
quantity of water which it
is permissible to use. In Denmark,
for instance, some courses are
restricted to as little as 5,000m 3 per
year.
Borehole usage will be, and in
many areas already is, controlled
under the local CAMS, and
restrictions may apply in the future.
Water collection and the provision of
water storage facilities will be
essential in future planning and,
depending upon the quantities of
water required, continued use of
potable water from the public water
system will undoubtedly, at the very
least, become prohibitively
expensive, if not denied.
Climate change is another
complex issue. Speculation varies
widely. However, over the past few
years, few will disagree that the
pattern of our climate has tended to
be more extreme, in particular
heavier, but less frequent rainfall.
We must look to the long term to
secure our water resourcing and
install some form of water storage
facility. For a relatively simple green
and tees system in the UK, a storage
capacity of some 10,000-15,000m 3
should be adequate but, if expansion
is planned for the future, then
25,000-40,000m 3 may be required.
We also need to explore the
sourcing of that water. Water farming
and collection of water from the golf
course, via drainage and hard
standing areas, such as car parks,
should be considered. Recycling
non-soiled clubhouse water through
reed beds and ultra violet filters is
another option. Winter abstraction
from boreholes, rivers and streams is
yet another possibility. This really is
long term planning and to discuss it
should not be deferred. Remember
that degree in foresight I spoke of
earlier.
On a global scale, away from the
needs of the golf course, water
resourcing, or the lack of it, is a very
real issue which has already led to
inter-border issues and violence; it
yet may be a far bigger problem
than oil.
In conclusion. Yes, there are some
relatively simple measures which can
be implemented to conserve water
and improve our irrigation
procedures, but there are also some
difficult choices ahead.
STRI Irrigation Services are
available to help in many of the
areas covered in this article, from
irrigation system audits and
feasibility studies for a new irrigation
system, through to detailed
irrigation design and the production
of scaled plans and tender
documentation (specifications and
bills of quantities). For further
information please contact Helen
Waite on 01274 518918,
email helen.waite@stri.co.uk
or visit www.stri.co.uk
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