Developing and Implementing BMPs for Landscape Water Conservation

Transcription

1 Developing nd Implementing BMPs for Lndscpe Wter Conservtion Clint Wltz, Ph.D. Professor The University of Georgi Questions? Is turfgrss just qulity of life nd esthetics issue? Not t ll importnt environmentl function sociologicl function sfety function Inppropritely considered s nonessentil Why Turfgrss? Benefits Permnent Vegettive Cover Filter Protect wter qulity Slows down runoff Trps dust & smoke CO 2 & O 2 30 million cres N of lwns remove 5% of CO 2 2,500 ft 2 lwn produces enough O 2 for fmily of 4 C. Wltz EDGE Expo

2 Questions? Currently, wht is the most importnt environmentl issue confronting the turfgrss industry? Wter-use Efficiency Don t pologize for using wter! Fmous Words "Whiskey is for drinking; wter is for fighting over." Questions? When it comes to hving rel impct on wter conservtion, will it come from indoor or outdoor efforts? Wht cn be seen? Wht cn be enforced? C. Wltz EDGE Expo

3 Wter Conservtion Svings Ashlnd, OR: ,822,091 gl. 77.8% 1,664,154 gl. 22.2% J. Smithermn Indoor Outdoor Wter Conservtion Svings Ashlnd, OR: ,174 gl/mo 63.6% 277,359 gl/mo 36.4% J. Smithermn Indoor12/6 Outdoor12/6 Quiz? According to USGS Survey, how much fresh wter is used dily for irrigtion?. 128 million gllons b billion gllons c billion gllons d. 128 billion gllons C. Wltz EDGE Expo

4 Quiz? According to USGS Survey, how much fresh wter is used dily for irrigtion?. 128 million gllons b billion gllons c billion gllons d. 128 billion gllons Relities In Georgi / Locl 20 yers go no one thought there were ny issues with wter use or supply Drought rules dopted in the erly 2000 s were for outdoor wtering Averge rinfll is 55 inches (140 cm) / yer Popultion is growing Resources re finite Periodic Drought C. Wltz EDGE Expo

5 Relities Across the Country nd round the World Popultion is growing Resources re finite The public is clueless Toilet to tp ws unherd of except in extreme circumstnces Cyclicl droughts worse thn humnity hs seen in the lst 1,500 yers Relities Across the Country nd round the World Brown orders Cliforni s first mndtory wter restrictions: It s different world L.A. Now, April 1, 2015 Cliforni Golf Industry Brces for Big Cuts in Wter Usges Golfweek, April 2, 2015 Relities Cliforni Legislture: Regulr Session Personl Income Tx Credit (No. 1139) Turf Removl This bill would, for txble yers beginning on nd fter Jnury 1, 2015, llow credit to txpyer prticipting in lwn replcement progrm, s defined, in n mount equl to $2 per ft 2 of conventionl lwn removed from the txpyer's property, up to $50,000 per txble yer, s provided. This bill would tke effect immeditely s tx levy. C. Wltz EDGE Expo

6 Quiz? According to USGS Survey, of the 128 billion gllons of irrigtion wter used dily, how much is ttributed to golf courses?. 2 billion gllons (1.5%) b. 4 billion gllons (3.0%) c. 12 billion gllons (9.0%) d. 26 billion gllons (20.0%) Quiz? According to USGS Survey, of the 128 billion gllons of irrigtion wter used dily, how much is ttributed to golf courses?. 2 billion gllons (1.5%) b. 4 billion gllons (3.0%) c. 12 billion gllons (9.0%) d. 26 billion gllons (20.0%) Questions? Is brown the new green? Would tht meet expecttions? Who does tht stisfy? As professionl, re you better thn tht? Wht re possible solutions? Wter Conservtion? Thoughts C. Wltz EDGE Expo

7 Wter Conservtion vs. Wter-Use Efficiency Wter Conservtion Percent wter reduction for ll wter users penlizes the most efficient Wter-Use Efficiency Use of best prctices to efficiently use wter conservtion occurs Get Strted NOW! Benefits It is the right thing to do nd you probbly lredy do more thn you think. Proof tht you re doing more thn most brings credit nd cceptnce. Good business sves money, mkes money, sty in business. Fmous Words He who knows tht enough is enough will lwys hve enough. Lo Tzu - 6th century BCE C. Wltz EDGE Expo

8 Simple Fct Turfgrsses, like ny other plnt, is biologicl orgnism. Biologicl orgnisms need moisture wter to survive. Approches & Plns No Pln / Indifference no longer n option Rigid Regultions Commnd nd control mentlity Best Mngement Prctices (BMPs) Gold Stndrd Model History of success Definition & Purpose History of BMPs terminology EPA 1977 Clen Wters Act A prctice or combintion of prctices tht re determined to be the most effective nd prcticl (including technologicl, economic, nd institutionl considertions) mens of controlling point nd nonpoint pollutnts t levels comptible with environmentl qulity gols (SCSA, 1982). C. Wltz EDGE Expo

9 BMPs Approch Science-bsed Cutting edge science Evolve with time & knowledge Holistic All possible strtegies re included Integrtion of new concepts Technology, devices, grsses, prctices, etc. New Technologies Cumultive Wter Use (inch) Bermudgrss Genotypes Under Short-Term Drought Tifwy DT Dys Rymer, 2011 BMPs Approch Site-specific Mngement Flexibility for site to meet environmentl gol Input is controlled only when needed Dynmic / Flexible Over time on specific site sites chnge with time Incorportion of new technology & concepts C. Wltz EDGE Expo

10 BMPs Approch Involves the site mnger Vlues eduction, experience & trining Proctive & on-going Consider ll stkeholders Economic & site-use potentil dverse impcts Applicble on site-specific & Stte level Scle of BMPs Approch Site-specific Multiple strtegies combined for specific issue Stte-BMPs An overll, science-bsed pproch t the; Stte Level Regultory Level Wter District Level Community Level BMPs Templte C. Wltz EDGE Expo

11 The BMPs Document Forml, Step-wise, Written Pln Required Wter conservtion pressures re gret Wter is limited Irrigtion wter source is sline Plnning Justifiction for Infrstructure Personnel The BMPs Document Pst, Present, nd Future Wht hs been done? Not strting t ground zero For members, regultory gencies, public, etc. Wht re the current prctices? Define res for improvement Mngement Prctices, Personnel, & Eduction Infrstructure Improvements The BMPs Document Site Assessment Required Identify current wter use Identify future wter use needs Do not pln on the minimum Pln for the future Necessry licenses, permits, & regultions Decision will rise from the site ssessment C. Wltz EDGE Expo

12 Site Assessment Importnt Informtion Ares Wter Source Quntity Qulity Irrigtion System Uniform Flexibility Scheduling Site Assessment Possible Outcomes Wter udits irrigtion system evlution Irrigtion system enhncements or design Locting lterntive irrigtion source Wter or soil tretments wter qulity Slt mngement Incresed soil, wter, or tissue testing Question? Who t the Club is involved? Golf Course Superintendent Assistnt nd stff Irrigtion technicin Club Membership Club Mngement Corporte Philosophy C. Wltz EDGE Expo

13 Wht is the Wter Stewrdship Act? SB 370 & HB 1094 Comprehensive wter conservtion legisltion Pssed Mrch 2010 Signed June 2010 Crete Culture of Conservtion Criticl to wter plnning Cretes new outdoor wter use rules Indoor nd outdoor wter use mndtes Wter Stewrdship Act Preemptive legisltion The urbn g sector gins permnent ssurnce tht wter providers must get pprovl from Georgi EPD to be more restrictive or less restrictive thn stte outdoor wter use regultions. Provision for wter restriction Wter purveyor must show Good Cuse Wter Stewrdship Act Outdoor Wter Use Rules Outdoor irrigtion is llowed dily for purposes of plnting, growing, mnging, or mintining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plnts. Irrigtion is llowed between the hours of 4 p.m. nd 10:00.m. Allows for irrigtion every dy of the week Applies to nyone privte nd professionl C. Wltz EDGE Expo

14 Core Wter Conservtion BMPs Wter Conservtion BMPs 1. Plnt selection & dpttion Right plnt in the right plce 2. Rootzone modifiction Roots re key Know the soil type 3. Mnge extrinsic stresses Trffic Drought University Drought Tril during 2011 in Florid DT 1 B. Schwrtz C. Wltz EDGE Expo

15 Bermudgrss Cultivr Wter Usge b c cd d b b Bldwin et l., 2006 Bermudgrss Cultivr Wter Usge bc bc b b b b b c Bldwin et l., 2006 Bermudgrss Cultivr Wter Usge b b b b Bldwin et l., 2006 C. Wltz EDGE Expo

16 Bermudgrss Cultivr Wter Usge b b b b b Bldwin et l., 2006 Bermud Cultivr Wter Usge b b c Bldwin et l., 2006 Pp John s Approch Better Grsses Better Lwns TWCA Primrily seeded grsses 13 tril loctions Relies on the 3 rd prty peer review of dt Turfgrsses tht demonstrte sttisticlly significnt wter svings Wrm-seson species C. Wltz EDGE Expo

17 Site Preprtion 2013 VWC * (%) June July August September October DAR Non-tilled TifBlir TifGrnd 41.3 b 38.3 b 26.8 b 16.2 b 19.5 b JMur 37.6 c 33.2 c 21.5 c 12.5 c 13.3 c Tilled TifBlir TifGrnd 43.2 b 39.8 b 30.2 b 19.4 b 21.5 JMur 39.5 c 34.6 c 22.8 c 13.1 c 13.9 b * Spectrum Technologies FieldScout TDR 300 Soil Moisture Meter with 3-inch tines. DAR = Dys After lst Rinfll event. Site Preprtion 2013 VWC (%) June August DAR b 27.8 b b 29.0 b b 29.4 b * Spectrum Technologies FieldScout TDR 300 Soil Moisture Meter with 3-inch tines. DAR = Dys After lst Rinfll event. Site Preprtion 45% June 2013 VWC 44% 43% 42% 41% b 40% No-Till Tilled * Spectrum Technologies FieldScout TDR 300 Soil Moisture Meter with 3-inch tines. C. Wltz EDGE Expo

18 45% 40% Site Preprtion b 2013 Composts None Foothills Soil3 VWC * 35% 30% 25% June (2) August (12) * Spectrum Technologies FieldScout TDR 300 Soil Moisture Meter with 3-inch tines. Dys After lst Rinfll event (DAR) re noted in prentheses. b b Slowly soluble Rise ph ph - Lime Pelletized & powdered Clcitic clcium crbonte clcium crbonte (CCO 3 ) Dolomitic clcium-mgnesium crbonte (CMg(CO 3 ) 2 ) Wter Conservtion BMPs 4. Culturl prctices 5. Allow soil & plnt fctors dictte irrigtion wter when grss needs wter wet only the rootzone 6. Irrigte microclimtes individully 7. Use non-potble wter / reclimed wter C. Wltz EDGE Expo

19 Proper Mowing Height Inches St. Augustinegrss Tll Fescue Centipedegrss Bermudgrss Zoysigrss Picture from Twitter Home Lwns Fertility During Drought Nutritionl Do not over feed Soil test Optimize soil ph Moderte to low nitrogen Adequte soil potssium Consider the most efficient wter use Wit till dry to pply nd wter-in Question? To erte or not erte? C. Wltz EDGE Expo

20 Proper Irrigtion Only wets the turfgrss rootzone Does not sturte the soil Does not llow wter to run off Proper Irrigtion No good BMPs for growing concrete! Wter Conservtion BMPs 8. Irrigte in erly morning 9. Perform n irrigtion udit 10. Instll rin shutoff sensors C. Wltz EDGE Expo

21 Wter Audit Correctble Fctors Non-uniformity of wter ppliction Precipittion rte exceeds soil infiltrtion rte Runoff Over ppliction of irrigtion Exceeds plnt needs Questions? How does the turfgrss industry chnge its imge nd ccentute the benefits? Communiction Continued stewrdship Continued eduction Sound science Best Mngement Prctices (BMPs) There s no doubt we re singled out s busers. But our messges is so good, we ll win in the long run. M. Esod C. Wltz EDGE Expo

22 Wht is your drought pln? Reductions (exmples) 10% no irr. for rnge & rod sides 20% reduce irr. of lrge res by 10% more Countermesures (exmples) Rise height of cut Stop mowing Reduce trffic Increse hnd wtering Ptron eduction Too Little Too Much C. Wltz EDGE Expo

23 Just Right Importnt Dtes in 2016 UGA Turfgrss Reserch Field Dy August 4 EDGE Expo December For other locl progrms contct your CEA Thnk Visit C. Wltz EDGE Expo