Monday, November 18, 2013

We Have Found Better Water!


Following up from a previous post from a few months back titled "Looking for Better Water" to let you know we have found better water!  This is great news and it will have a significant impact on reducing expenditures used treat our water and soil to combat the detrimental impact sodium has had on our soil structure and infiltration rates.  This irrigation source comes from an aquifer located at around the 400 ft depth.  This source typically contains around 150 ppm of sodium with a Sodium Adsorption Ratio of 30.  These two factors combined with the relative purity of our water resulted in an extreme reduction in soil water infiltration rates.  To see the irrigation suitability report from a sample taken in May of 2013 click here.  The report identified as "well" is our current source while the latter tests are taken from around the course after being treated with a gypsum product. Notice the substantial improvement from the "well" test with regards to sodium, SAR and potential for reduced infiltration compared to the "lake" test.

Our new water source comes from the 80-90 ft aquifer and is classified as an ultra pure water source with very little sodium.  This water source still requires treatment with gypsum to maintain adequate calcium and salinity levels but the toxic sodium ion will no longer be a concern.  This new water source will allow us to dramatically reduce the amount of gypsum applied to the course on an annual basis.  Click here to view a copy of the irrigation suitability report for the sample taken from the shallow aquifer.

If you compare the "well" test to the new well you will notice a significant reduction of sodium in the water and also the potential for reduced water infiltration is greatly improved.

With the results of the test Lyman Well Company has begun installing our new well behind 6 green. We tried to install our newest well closer to our existing infrastructure near 6 tee box but unfortunately there was only enough water for less than 70 gpm of water.  The next location we tried was behind 6 green.  This location had a much cleaner sand at the 80 ft depth which allowed for a better performing well. We hope it will provide close to 300 gpm of water . Once this well is functional it will be allowed to run for 24 hours while monitoring the water level at our test well on hole 7.  If the new well does not draw down the water level at our test well, another 300 gpm well will be installed on hole 7.  Once these two wells are constructed our current well will be used for emergencies only.