The Coachella Valley Water District has a clear message for desert golfers: Don’t take the drought lightly, as changes may be coming to water availability sooner than expected.
“We wanted the picture to reflect the current state of our water resources.” Dr. Robert Cheng was the assistant general manager for CVWD. He was one of the main speakers at the golf and water summit, which attracted more 150 officials from the golf industry Wednesday at Mission Hills Country Club Rancho Mirage. “We hope to paint a picture that’s accurate, that’s dire, and that there are additional actions that the golf industry can take to ensure they continue to be viable in this current environment.”
General managers and superintendents of golf courses from across the desert heard presentations about drought-tolerant grasses, technological advancements that can save water and how they can be used to improve the quality of irrigation on desert’s 120 course. Cheng and Pete Nelson, director of the CVWD presented the most important information about the Colorado basin. They explained how water from Colorado River cannot be relied upon for long-term irrigation requirements of desert golf courses and agriculture.
Craig Kessler is the director of public affairs at the Southern California Golf Association and head of the Coachella Valley Golf and Water Task Force. “The facts in the desert have not really created any sense or urgency,” he said. “But, the most important thing in today’s presentation was that the facts on ground now create an urgency in the Coachella Valley Golf Community as well, precisely because it’s the Colorado River water allocation which needs to be dealt with.”
CVWD serves 18 golf courses. Some use only river water to irrigation, while others use a mix of recycled water, river water and groundwater from the aquifer beneath the desert. In the summer heat, a desert course may use as much as 1,000,000 gallons per day. It can use less water in the winter. Cheng claims that river water has been inconsistently supplied water to the district. Cheng says the district has received up to 70% of its contracted allotment over the past few years, but only five per cent in the three previous years.
“This valley has survived droughts. This was why I made the point to 2014, a drought year with only 5 percent allotment. Cheng stated that something happened and we survived. “I believe the story now, as we start January 2023 is a different one. The spotlight and intensity of drought conversation in the 23rd drought year is real, I believe.”
Nelson spoke to the gathering about how water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, both on the Colorado River, continue to fall. Nelson stated that even with the Colorado basin snowpack at 126 percent Nelson believes that it will provide only a small amount of water to meet the average year’s water needs. It won’t be enough to end the two decades-long drought in the basin, which supplies water for seven US states and Mexico.
Nelson stated that 7 million acre feet (in the snowpack) of water does not meet the 9 million acres of lower basin demand. So that’s Arizona. That’s California. It’s southern Nevada. Surprisingly, all the golf courses are located in this area.
The Mesquite Golf and Country Club, Palm Springs, 31 January 2020 (Photo by Jay Calderone/Palm Springs Desert Sun).
Federal mandates coming?
Nelson is participating in negotiations to find a consensus on a framework that would keep the lakes above the levels necessary to generate electricity and provide water to the Colorado basin by the end the month. He stated Wednesday that he wasn’t confident that a deal could be reached before January 31st, which would allow the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBOR) to develop its own plan.
“Will the bureau create their own framework?” Nelson stated that it was possible. Nelson said, “They will look at things as reasonable and beneficial water use. This is a 417 government action. They look at water usage and determine if it’s reasonable and beneficial. My and your perceptions of what is reasonable or beneficial are likely to be different.
Chris Bien, a golf course superintendent at Desert Willow Golf Resort, Palm Desert, and president of Hi-Lo Desert Golf Course Superintendents Association said Wednesday’s turnout showed golf courses are serious about water conservation.
Bien stated that “We talk more about it than we used too and having this many people in a room sit down for two and a quarter hours and listen to everybody’s opinions is well, everyone came because they wanted it to be heard about.” “So, it is absolutely something we take much more seriously.”
Tim Putnam, La Quinta Country Club’s director of agronomy, stated that he attended the meeting in order to learn more about the Colorado River water restriction. Putnam stated that his club could quickly move on conservation projects.
“We have a turf reduction plan ready to go. We asked the question. Putnam asked about the looming reduction mandates. “If they adhere to the water budget, then you have a water budget that is based on the area of your facility. You’ve got to reduce that budget by at least 20 percent if you are watering very efficiently.”
Funding of such projects is another concern for general managers and superintendents. It costs clubs between $15,000 to $20,000 to remove one acre of turf, replace it with drought-tolerant plants, irrigation, and a long-term return. The federal Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in August, could provide funding for these projects. A portion of that money is reserved to fund water conservation projects. Cheng informed the crowds that CVWD will be ready by May to assist golf courses in applying for these funds.
Cheng stated that the message that Cheng hopes (golf officials), will convey is that they want the golf industry to survive. Cheng noted that there are approximately 8,000 golfers in the desert and that the industry generates $700 million in revenues. We recognize its importance. We have the opportunity right now to get funding from federal government to help us achieve these conservation measures.
Bien stated that there is confusion about how to sell it to a member or municipality. Bien stated, “You want to be in a position to say, “Hey, we’re going to do that and we will get it paid for or part thereof. Or we’ll get funding.” It is difficult to know if we actually get that. “So I believe we all are trying to do other conservation acts in addition to that.”
Bien said that the message to the golf industry was clear at the summit.
It was very informative. Bien stated that we got a glimpse of the future and that industry needs to improve.
Kessler said that the desert is still in better condition for golf courses than other parts of Southern California.
Kessler stated that “Urgency according to desert standards is a fraction (Los Angeles County, Orange, and San Diego counties) but that if you look at levels of these two lakes, it just keeps going up even when we have had wet years,” Kessler.
By: Larry Bohannan
Title: California officials paint gloomy water picture: golf industry must do more to meet ongoing drought
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/01/13/california-golf-industry-drought-sustainability/
Published Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:34:03 +0000
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