Orinda Country Club Golf Course Takes on Drought Conditions
Lush greens, reduced operating expenses, and water savings.
OVERVIEW
Orinda Country Club, nestled in the foothills east of San Francisco Bay, experiences problems with melting and drying on Fairway 4 mid to late season. This is due to lack of rainfall and intense sunlight during the summer months.
In an effort to improve conditions on Fairway 4, STSTurf Technical Director Brad Snavley conducted a 6-month study using Magnation Water Technologies.
The findings of the study are extremely important for golf courses around the world, as they struggle with climate change, water conservation, and unhealthy soil conditions.
CHALLENGES
Orinda Country Club struggles mid to late season with turf conditions on Fairway 4 and other areas throughout the course. The soil is native clay loam with some decomposed granite. The results are often compacted soil and anaerobic (oxygen deficient) conditions.
As the season progresses, upper mound areas dry out and the side of the fairway into the approach melts out. To keep the turf from dying out, rewetting agents, fertilizers, and extra measures must be taken. Browning to some extent is inevitable.
THE SOLUTION
A Magnation Water Treatment System was utilized beginning in early June 2018. The 2” fairway lateral irrigation line was exposed and a 2” Magnation PVC Rainbolt was installed to treat Fairway 4.
The Magnation PVC Rainbolt works to soften the water is about 6-inches long and allows water to pass through a single magnetic field. When this occurs, a “rifling effect” is triggered and Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) energy is emitted into the water.
When this occurs, profound things begin to occur:
The magnetic field works to off-set the effects of friction and breaks-up clumping water molecules.
Flow rate is increased and surface tension reduced, which results in nan-bubbles.
Water filtration and percolation significantly improve.
Water becomes readily bioavailable, increasing absorption rates into the soil and turf.
Water residue/scale is broken up and prevented.
Most importantly, ELF drives the above benefits throughout an entire irrigation system and promotes the aerobic metabolic pathway. The results are optimized turf health and vigor. In the process of improving soil conditions, Magnation reduces the need for harsh chemicals commonly used in fertilizers and rewetting agents.
THE RESULTS
Beginning in July 5th of 2018, treated samples (areas where Magnation was used) and untreated samples (areas utilizing non-treated water) were taken. Readings were taken with a hand-held EC meter, which is commonly used to measure electrical conductivity in the soil. Depending on the result, it is possible to know if the soil is too dry, what nutrients are missing, and whether or not salt levels are low or high at the surface.
#1 - Treated Area = Softer Soil
During the sampling process, it was quickly apparent that Untreated areas were harder to get samples from. A mallet was required in the Untreated area, whereas a probe was utilized with greater ease in the Treated area.
#2 - Treated Area = Better Water Movement & Less Salts at Surface
By August, the EC meter readings revealed that the Treated area had the highest readings at 4” to 5.” This indicated that water movement was better and salts were being driven deeper into the soil profile than in the Untreated area, which saw readings between 2” to 4”).
#3 - Untreated Area = Needed Fertilizer, Saw Turf Decline & Weakened Areas
In September the irrigation source was switched from the irrigation lake to the East Bay MUDD. The Assistant Superintendent was forced to apply granular fertilizer once the turf began to visibly decline
#4 - Treated Area = Higher Levels of Nitrogen
The exchangeable soil data reflected insignificant differences between the two areas. It was apparent that Nitrogen content was significantly higher on the treated samples, potentially indicating better solubility and/or less volatilization.
#5 - Treated Area = Higher Soluble Nutrient Content
The soluble nutrient content was much higher on the treated side. For example, Calcium on the Treated side average 7.3 percent solubility while on the Untreated side it was measured at 5.8 percent. Also, Magnesium solubility averaged 12.2 percent on the Treated side while it was 9.7 percent on the Untreated side.
#6 - Treated Area = Microbial Activity Increased
Microbial activity increased by 30 percent on the Treated area. This was accomplished using Magnation Magnetic Energy and was measured via the Solvita CO2 respiration test. Additionally, the overall Health Score averaged 30 percent higher.
CONCLUSION
The Magnation Water Treatment System has once again proven to be an ideal solution for golf courses facing drought conditions. Not only did the installation of 2” Magnation PVC Rainbolt result in a x percent decrease in water usage on the Treated Side, it saved the course at least $x, maintenance costs, decreased the need for wetting agents by x%, and left the area lush and green into the Fall months.