Monthly Feature Hosted By:
	Anthony L. Williams, CGCS at Marriott’s Stone Mountain Golf Club in Georgia

Water is critical for life as we know it. So what happens when you’re managing a 36-hole golf facility in an area where the evapotransporation rate averages about 6.5 times greater than the average rainfall. Simply put, you find alternative ways to water and then you eventually become an expert in the use of effluent water on golf turf. That is exactly what Wally Dowe and the team at Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club have done.

Wally shares a detailed look into his programs and practices with us this month. This case study is full of statistics and practical advice that ranges from the cost of adding sulfuric acid to lower bi-carbonate levels in your irrigation water to the difficulty that running effluent water presents to utilizing drip irrigation. Beyond this we are given a tour of mechanical and chemical programs that address water quality at Ventana Canyon. We also see the use of biological controls such as White Amur or Grass Carp to help control algae in holding ponds. Now that is thinking outside the box.

Both the effluent water expert and novice alike will benefit from this concise and practical review. Be sure to read the cost comparison data that compares the cost of effluent water to ground water. This financial data will make you think a little harder about the value of water within your operation and how it affects the bottom line. The management of limited water resources and expanded government regulation of these resources is a relatively new skill set for most superintendents. However, water issues are making headlines from coast to coast thus learning these techniques is more important than ever.

The work documented in this case study reflects a creative solution to water shortages the Southwestern United States. It shows the adaptability and commitment of all those involved and ultimately makes it possible for others to sustain great golf and environmental stewardship in even the harshest of climates.   

October's Guest:
	Clark Throssell, Ph.D., Director of Research, GCSAA

A reliable, reasonably priced irrigation water source is essential for the success of every golf facility. Not only does the irrigation water source need to be reliable, it must be of sufficient quality to sustain turfgrass. In an era of competing demands for water, particularly in the Southwest, it can be a challenge to secure a reliable water source at a reasonable cost that will sustain turfgrass. Wally Dowe, Director of Golf Course Maintenance at Ventana Canyon Golf and Racquet Club in Tucson, AZ, has secured a reliable effluent water source at a reasonable cost, but the water quality leaves much to be desired.

Wally outlines the challenges and solutions to the common water quality problems that most of us think about, like salt accumulation in the rootzone and sodium buildup in soil, but have you ever stopped to think about biological problems that can develop in a hot climate in nutrient laden effluent water. Filamentous algae and protozoa clog valves and nozzles. Algae growth in the pond is unsightly to golfers, but a bigger problem is keeping it out of the irrigation system. Read how Wally has over come these agronomic and biological problems on the 36-holes at Ventana Canyon. Did you consider the nitrogen content of the effluent? Wally has, and he copes with too much nitrogen, especially when trying to get the creeping bentgrass greens through an Arizona summer.

Wally Dowe is able to use an effluent water source to produce two beautiful golf courses. Find out all the details how he copes with the effluent water source. And be sure to enjoy the spectacular pictures of two great desert golf courses. The proof is in the pictures.