Turfgrass Water Conservation Essentials: Modified Rootzones & Current Water Management Technologies
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FieldScience | By Stephen T. Cockerham, Bernd Leinauer, Paul E. Reike, James A. Murphy, and Robert Green Turfgrass water conservation essentials: modified rootzones & current water management technologies URFGRASS WATER CONSERVATION is not just a concept of the The California design is a 1-layer sys- minimum amount of water that can be used for turfgrass survival, it is tem consisting of a specified well-draining also the concept of optimizing water use as a significant factor in getting sand placed over compacted (imperme- the maximum performance from turf and not wasting water. Key ele- able) native soil. Drain tiles are installed in T ments of this concept are modifying root zones to promote optimal turf trenches in the native soil. Water retained growth and taking advantage of improvements in turf irrigation technology. at the bottom of the root zone is more typical of a perched water table if there is MODIFIED ROOTZONES such as golf putting greens and other sports very limited or no drainage into the un- FOR EFFICIENT WATER USE turfs to ensure adequate water infiltration, derlying soil. Soil uniformity. Uniform soil condi- percolation, and drainage, and to prevent Drainage from the 2-layer USGA put- tions make it easier to grow uniform turf the buildup of excessive soil water content. ting green profile tends to be independent and provide more efficient irrigation. Profile designs that encourage the develop- of the sand mix, while the 1-layer Califor- However, turfgrass is frequently grown ment of a water table can conserve water. nia green profile drains slower, with finer on nonuniform modified soils where top- These designs on limited slopes and when sand mixes. Thus, the 1-layer profile tends soil has been removed or mixed with sub- drained to field capacity can have a water to hold more water for turf use than does soil. Sod is often laid on compacted content distribution ranging from unsatu- the 2-layer profile. The 2-layer profile has subsoils, which limit rooting into the rated and well-aerated at surface depths to only a short-term effect on the perched underlying soil. nearly saturated at the lowest depths. water table due to the downslope subsur- Soil variability increases the need for Placing a finer-textured sand over face movement of water. If the root zone site-specific management in irrigation pro- coarser material such as gravel creates a mix is too deep, water stress increases, gramming, using the knowledge of soil zone of greater water retention (a perched, leading to localized dry spots, especially in properties such as texture, structure, or- or suspended, water table) in the sand the highest elevations of a putting green. If ganic matter content, compaction, above the interface with the gravel layer. the top mix is too shallow on putting drainage, slope, fertility, and pH, as well as For example, the USGA Green Section greens, it may be difficult to place the hole lighting and air movement. Water relations specifications for putting greens use a 2- liner, and wet areas may occur, which can in soils depend on retention and transmis- layer or 3-layer profile. The 2-layer profile enhance development of black layer. sion of water: soluble salts can control how is most widely used and has a 300-mm Better turf performance has been ob- much water is available to roots in salt-af- sand root zone mix of a specific particle served on root zones that retain more fected soils. As a soil dries or as soluble salt size distribution placed over appropriately water with reduced rooting compared with content increases, less water becomes avail- sized gravel. Drain tiles are installed in the root zones that retain less water with able for plant uptake. gravel layer. During construction, these greater rooting. In sand-based root zones, Sand-based designs. Sand-based profiles specifications are sometimes followed care- greater rooting depth has not been related that have relatively narrow particle size dis- fully, sometimes not; if not, undesired to better turf performance or greater effi- tribution are widely used with or without conditions may occur in plant-available ciency in water use. There is evidence to amendment for highly trafficked turf areas water or drainage patterns. suggest that greater water conservation can Further Reading Establishing and Maintaining the Natural Turf Athletic Field. 2004. S. T. Cockerham, V. A. Gibeault, and D. B. Silva. Oakland: University of California Division of Agricul- ture and Natural Resources Publication 21617. Handbook of Turfgrass Management and Physiology. 2008. M. Pessarakli, ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Turfgrass and Irrigation Water Quality: Assessment and Management. 2009. R. R. Duncan, R. N. Carrow, and M. T. Huck. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Turfgrass Water Conservation. 2011. 2nd ed. Oakland: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 12 SportsTurf | January 2012 www.sportsturfonline.com FieldScience be achieved with sand-based root zones Avoiding black layer. Sand sports sur- potential (model) ET estimates (ETp and that retain more water. faces grown with aggressive, high-density ETo). ETp and ETo estimates are most Subirrigation. Subirrigation can use 70 cultivars of creeping bentgrass and commonly used when turfgrass irrigation to 90% less irrigation water than surface bermudagrass can accumulate excess or- scheduling is based on ET losses. irrigation. Drainage tiles placed on top of ganic matter, which can seal the surface, To match actual turfgrass ET, most ET plastic liners in subirrigation systems can causing loss of roots, turf stress, and the estimates require adjustments in the form be closed to prevent leaching. These tiles formation of black layer. Management of multipliers or crop coefficients (Kc) to can be attached to pumps to draw water practices to prevent or remove black layer meet local climatic conditions and specific out or pump water into the sand profile. include providing more oxygen to the af- maintenance situations. Kc can vary from The water table can be raised or lowered as fected zone through reduced irrigation 0.4 to 1.1, depending on ET reference, needed, depending on root depth. The (with emphasis on syringing), cultivation, quality expectations, season, grass type, particle size range and depth of the sand topdressing to prevent layer formation, maintenance level, and micro- and macro- dictate the degree of capillary rise of water. improving drainage, controlling organic climate. Crop coefficients can also be used Problems with subirrigation include man- matter, and monitoring fertility practices. to calculate irrigation amounts. Irrigation aging high levels of soluble salts and below 100% ET replacement (deficit irri- sodium, as well as maintaining uniform CURRENT WATER gation) does not necessarily result in a sig- root zone water content in sloping putting MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES nificant loss of turfgrass quality and greens. Strategies to reduce unnecessary irriga- function. Topdressing with sand. Repeated sand tion water use should include efficient irri- Several states offer automated, Web- topdressing increases infiltration on native gation systems and scheduling irrigation based potential and reference ET values soil putting greens and other sports turfs. based on the actual water requirement of for irrigation scheduling. In California, Water that had previously run off sloping turf needed to maintain a desired quality the most commonly accepted source of ET turf surfaces tends to be held in the sand level. data is the California Irrigation Manage- layer. When dry, topdressed sports fields High-efficiency irrigation. To achieve ment Information System (CIMIS, www- have a lower surface hardness. However, high-efficiency irrigation, minimize losses cimis.water.ca.gov). hydrophobic soil conditions, as found in such as droplet evaporation, surface Smart controllers. Smart controllers au- localized dry spots or dry patches, fre- runoff, leaching, and wind drift. Correct tomatically adjust to daily changes in quently develop in sand media. These sprinkler head selection and spacing can evapotranspiration. Using them instead of spots often occur in areas where irrigation match water spray patterns with the shape traditional irrigation scheduling can yield coverage is inadequate, on slopes where of the landscape, which helps avoid areas water savings as high as 80%. Some mu- water tends to run off rather than infil- that are over- or underirrigated. Divide nicipal water authorities and utilities have trate, and on slopes facing the sun. Fully larger irrigated areas into hydrozones, introduced rebate programs for installing developed localized dry spots are difficult areas of similar watering requirements. smart irrigation controllers. Irrigation to rewet. Application of wetting agents, Consider subsurface irrigation systems: scheduling based on soil moisture aims to cultivation (aerification), thatch control, they have shown great potential for water keep the root zone within a target mois- careful monitoring of soil water levels, and conservation, despite difficulties associated ture range by replenishing ET and syringing are the most common corrective with determining spacing and depth of drainage losses. This is considered to be practices. trays, pipes, or emitters; higher cost of in- the most intuitive way of determining how stallation; difficulty in monitoring and/or much and when to irrigate. troubleshooting damaged parts; potential Soil moisture sensors. Soil moisture Several states offer interference