Yes—due to water shortages, California tightly regulates the amount of water that golf courses and other recreational facilities can use. Even so, golf courses are among the top consumers of water in California, with one 18-hole course capable of using 90 million gallons or more each year. Homes and businesses use only a fraction of that. Typically, during drought conditions, water boards in California will issue regulations that reduce the amount of water a golf course can use by somewhere between 25% and 40% of their normal usage. During severe droughts, regulations may restrict fairways from watering at all, saving water for the more sensitive greens and tees. In some places, there aren’t specific rules on which parts of the golf course can be watered, but there may be rules about specific irrigation methods to help ensure that as little water is wasted as possible. In a nutshell, when future drought restrictions come into play, this can drastically reduce the amount of water available to golf courses and other recreational venues—and that means ponds can play an important role in keeping golf courses up and running, even in a drought.
Golf courses can help mitigate these issues through ponds and water features. With geomembrane lined ponds and systems in place for rainwater collection (if allowed in a given area), it is possible to divert stormwater into the ponds that normally decorate golf courses. Where needed, it can be used as irrigation to keep greens, tees and even fairways healthy. Impermeable liners like those we offer here at BTL Liner are a crucial part of these systems because they prevent seepage from ponds, which is a major contributor to water loss.
