When drought conditions affect larger parts of the state, water restrictions are increased by the various water boards in California. This can have a particularly troublesome effect on golf courses since they are some of the largest single end-point users of water in the state. One full 18-hole course can use 90 million gallons or more per year, while homes and other businesses need only a fraction of that for everyday purposes. Reducing golf course water use, even when it is not being actively restricted, helps prepare the grounds and greens for future drought restrictions. Ponds and other water features on the golf course can play an important role in preparing the course for drought when designed with care and flexible geomembrane liners.
Total Water Use from Golf Courses
Golf courses do not use the largest portion of water in the state of California, but they are still cumulatively among the top users of water. With each 18-hole course using over 90 million gallons of water per year, it is not surprising that some cities in California consider their golf course the single largest consumers of water. This means that the industry is regularly chosen for specific restrictions on their water use in an attempt to free up millions of gallons of water. For example, even just a 10% reduction in water use can allow other industries like agriculture or healthcare to continue essential operations.
Watering Restrictions
California water boards generally wait until droughts are severe enough to justify a substantial reduction in water use at the golf courses and other recreational features throughout the state. Most golf courses have to deal with anywhere from a 25% to 40% reduction in total water use during drought. The water board with jurisdiction over a particular golf course can also restrict which parts of the course are watered. When the drought is severe enough, they may rule out watering the fairways at all and allow only irrigation of sensitive greens and tees instead. Other areas do not limit which parts of the course can be irrigated but may require the use of specific irrigation methods that waste as little water as possible. Keeping up with at least a minor version of these restrictions even when water is ample can help prepare the course and its turf for the worst periods of drought.
Maintaining Healthy Water Features
Irrigation may create the majority of water demand on the golf course, but it is far from the only use of water. Ponds, water traps, fountains, and other elemental water features bring the golf course to life. They are essential to play on many golf courses and significantly less impressive when drained or dried out completely. Installing impermeable liners when building the water features from the start is essential to preventing water loss. Without a liner, each water feature on the golf course will slowly lose water through seepage. Seepage is the slow transfer of water through the soil because of space between the tiny particles. Why lose valuable water that is needed to keep your pond topped up when liners are available to stop seepage? Golf course water features must be lined so they retain their water and resist the effects of drought and evaporation as much as possible.
Historical Water Rights
Many golf courses rely on a long history of being established in the same place or have inherited agricultural irrigation rights that are applied to their facilities. Thus, continuing to draw from specific wells or nearby rivers. These historical water rights are hard for the water boards to remove entirely, but they can still be limited when necessary for conservation. Do not count on historical water rights alone to maintain water features and irrigation demands on a golf course. Preparing for drought, by conserving as much water as possible with low-water turf varieties, alternative surface materials, and ponds that catch runoff for later, all go a long way in keeping the golf course green through any weather.
Golf courses can always use the off season to renovate their water features and install liners to control water loss. It is never too late to put in a geomembrane layer that prevents seepage and keeps every gallon of water in the features and ponds in place. Maintain a greener, healthier golf course without wasting water with the help of BTL Liners. Our geomembrane liner products are designed for challenging installations like on California golf courses. The reinforced material can handle rough soil and less-than-perfect support with less risk of tearing, ripping, or puncturing.
