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Coachella Valley Water Symposium emphasizes conservation, better education
Story and link
Oct 30, 2008
By Chris Nelson
USGA P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Intern
Southern California Golf Association
A wide number of organizations joined together today for a discussion of perhaps the most important issue facing the golf industry of Southern California: water. Co-sponsored by the California Alliance for Golf (of which the SCGA is a founding member), the California State Club Association, and the Coachella Valley Water District , the Golf and Water Symposium gathered agronomists, water experts, legislators, lobbyists, golf course superintendents, golf club managers, conservationists, and engineers to talk about the issues California has faced, continues to face, and will face in the future regarding water.
The symposium was held in Palm Desert, in the heart of the Coachella Valley, and it focused specifically on the issues that the Valley faces, especially in regard to the golf industry.
The Coachella Valley is home to one of the largest concentrations of golf courses in the world, nearly one-third of all golf courses in Southern California. It also rests atop the largest underground water aquifer in the world. Years of building and water consumption have caused some recent concerns in the Coachella Valley. "We don't need to panic; we don't need reductions or memorandums," said Peter Nelson, President of the Coachella Valley Water District Board of Directors, "that said, we are extracting more than we are able to deposit."
Many efforts are in place to ensure that the aquifer's volume of water can be sustained. One such measure is the Mid-Valley Pipeline Project. By bringing in non-potable recycled water from the Colorado River, says Patti Reyes, assistant director of engineering at the Coachella Valley Water District, the district expects the pipeline to reduce consumption of groundwater by as much as 25 percent.
Recycled water, which has become more and more common in the golfing world of Southern California, is becoming more and more of a necessity for golf courses in the region.
In many cases, such as those in the Coachella Valley, recycled water is cleaner than the local groundwater. Recycled water is also much more cost effective than ground water in many instances. Rick Sall, superintendent of Toscana Country Club, which hosted the 2008 SCGA Mid-Amateur, spoke on this issue. "By the time local ground water hits my turf, it is costs $183.73 acre/ft. Recycled water costs only $125." Aside from cost efficiency, Sall also noted that while recycled water elsewhere has a high salt content, the recycled water of the Coachella Valley has less salinity when compared to the ground water he draws. Sall further noted that Toscana uses recycled water in its fertigation system, which has proven to be quite effective, and allowed them to use more recycled water than most courses in the area. "We used to be 50/50, but when additional recycled water became available, we utilized it and are now above 50% recycled."
Ultimately, however, there was one recurring theme that appeared in nearly every presentation: the golf world is constantly being blamed for using more water than it should.
Numerous panelists mentioned that the first thing they hear when speaking to the general public on water conservation is, "I'll stop wasting water when those golf courses stop wasting water." Statistics show, however, that golf courses are perhaps the most efficient users of water among all water consumers. The biggest problem is that the industry as a whole does not make this known.
"The golfing community does not effectively convey how efficient golf courses are with their water usage," said Doug Bennet, conservation manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority. "The average golf course uses 70 percent of its water efficiently, while the average single family residence uses 30 percent," echoed Peter Nelson.
Larry Bohannan, golf writer for The Desert Sun, summed it up as well as anyone; "The bottom line is that the golf industry has done a terrible job of explaining their water efficiency, especially when compared to their impact on the economy."
The panelists were also keen to point out the impact that golf in the Coachella Valley has on the economy as a whole. "Golf is a $6.9 billion industry statewide. In the Coachella Valley it is almost $1.4 billion," said Bohannan. "Nearly all of the hospitality and service industry in this area is reliant upon golfers and the golf courses."
Though recent economic situations have caused a slowing of constructions of new golf courses and new homes in the area, the Coachella Valley is still one of the largest golfing destinations in the world. While water continues to be an issue, many courses in the area are actively seeking ways to conserve more water, seek alternative sources of water, and actively make known the steps that have been taken in their resourcefulness and conservation.
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