Politicians don't make good irrigation technicians

Mark Twain allegedly said:  “Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.”

Water is a valuable commodity, and it’s not surprising that it’s a source of conflict. I was surprised to discover only 3 percent of all water on our planet is freshwater. Deduct glaciers and polar ice caps from the freshwater total and only a small percent is available to sustain life.

I think about the old proverb “You never know the value of water until the well runs dry,” when I reminisce about Colorado’s 2002 drought. At that time, the state’s golf courses suffered the wrath of Mother Nature and the ire of Father Politics.

Colorado is considered a semi-arid climate. So if you don’t irrigate your turf, you’ll end up with dirt. The Front Range is the populous area east of the Rocky Mountains, which includes the Denver-metro area. In 2002, the Front Range received the lowest amount of precipitation in 130 years. Additionally, the year started with an exceptionally low 2001-2002 winter mountain snowpack. That lack of mountain snow caused drinking and irrigation reservoirs to start the season low on water. By mid-summer, Colorado was in a full-fledged drought.

The impact of the drought and the subsequent watering restrictions on many Front Range courses was ugly. By mid-summer in Aurora, where I worked as manager of golf, we no longer controlled the irrigation on our seven courses. Instead, city officials and politicians developed irrigation schedules for us. As a result, poor playing conditions resulted in fewer golfers and less revenue. In addition to the financial burden, we were forced to stand by and watch golf course turf dry up and die.

Fortunately, the next season’s weather patterns changed and the drought restrictions eased. Aurora Golf essentially purchased a boxcar of seed and regrassed most fairway and rough areas.

By fall 2003, the majority of the playing surfaces had recovered. However, Aurora Golf remained in a financial hole and we still suffered emotionally from the previous year’s disaster.

The 2002 drought’s impact on the Colorado golf industry motivated the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendent’s Association to commission an economic and environmental study. This data quantified golf’s value to Colorado’s economy and offered accurate numbers on golf course water usage in the state.

After the Colorado study was completed, other states recognized their need for economic and environmental information and developed similar studies. GCSAA also developed the Golf Course Environmental Profile. This study consisted of five member surveys, including one on water use and conservation practices on golf courses. This study is available through the Environmental Institute for Golf website.

From my experience with Colorado’s 2002 drought and the ensuing political trauma, here is some valuable insight I gained:

•    As a profession and as professionals, we need to continue our commitment to the principals and practices of environmental stewardship in all areas, with a special emphasis on water use and conservation.

•    We must instill in our staff the value of efficient water use every day.

•    We should work individually and with local chapters and GCSAA to educate the public and policy makers on golf course irrigation practices and water management. The realities on how we manage water are often much different than the perceptions.

•    Lastly, be willing to step up and tell your story.