02-10-1997 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The data collected in 1994 indicate that golf courses are not a significant source of nutrients or pesticides to water bodies in the TCMA. The low pollutant export rate from golf courses appears to be a function of the management practices used on the golf courses. These practices, which promote rainfall Infiltration and limit applications of chemicals, particularly phosphorus. Include soil aeration, soil fertility testing, application of organic matter, and maintenance of dense vegetation. Inclusion of the following specific practices in the management of all golf courses, as well as urban lawns, is recommended. Soil fertility tests should be completed on turf areas prior to the application of fertilizer. In cases where tests are not completed, only phosphorus free fertilizer should be applied. As the four golf courses involved in the study demonstrated, high quality turf can be maintained with significantly less phosphorus than is currently being applied to TCMA lawns. Turf areas should be aerated regularly to promote rain water infiltration. In addition, compaction of subsoil should be minimized during the development of residential subdivisions. Subsoil compacted by grading should be loosened before topsoil and sod is placed. Application of weed control chemicals and fertilizer should be made with calibrated equipment to minimize over application of chemicals. Applications should not be made when rainfall is forecast. Although the quantities of fungicides leaving the golf courses were very small, the presence of the chemicals in 60 percent of samples may be of concern. In years with average temperatures, the frequency of application would probably increase, resulting in an increase in the amount of fungicides lost from golf courses. Management strategies which reduce the frequency of fungicide loss from golf courses should be implemented. One strategy that could further reduce or eliminate the amount of pollutants, including fungicides, leaving a golf course would be to install detention basins on the course to collect runoff water. Both the DETPOND and PONDSI2 models suggest that phosphorus and nitrogen export could be reduced by approximately 50 percent if detention basins were constructed. The water in the basins could also be used for irrigation. This would in effect, recycle the fungicides and nutrients and could result in I 1 1 I I 1 I 1 1 I