Water Conservation AT THE VALLEY CLUB

Water. The hottest topic in the valley. With the help of an exceptional team, The Valley Club has made some big changes to the golf course over the past five years, having spent millions of dollars in modifications and state-ofthe-art technology, all to be better stewards of the land. Their main goal is to provide world-class playing conditions while reducing The Valley Club’s water footprint.

One of the major changes that took place during their renovation, completed in 2020, was a reduction of areas that require water. The club accomplished this by planting drought tolerant native grasses, increasing their amount by 17% throughout the course. These new native areas provide habitat to the valley’s animals, and club staff have noticed a rise in wildlife activity. Native grass areas along lakes, creeks, and drainage ditches function as a biological filter. These plants slow runoff and leach out any unwanted materials before it reaches any important bodies of water. This is a huge benefit towards protecting pristine rivers, lakes, and aquatic life that rely on them to live.

They have also cut their water use by approximately 20% per night by installing a new irrigation system. The new system allows them to water with greater precision and to measure their water use more accurately. They have included a new central computer and weather station to calculate how much water the grass has used and how much it still needs—the grass receives the exact amount of water to survive, no more and no less. Installing over 30% additional, and more sophisticated, sprinkler heads has enabled them to make pinpoint adjustments to over two thousand heads. For example, they can run one sprinkler head for six minutes and the one right next to it for four minutes. These improvements in uniform coverage have made a tremendous difference and they now need to water only every other night.

When making watering decisions, the maintenance staff does more than a visual inspection to determine if the grass needs to be watered. To make sound irrigation choices, they measure soil moisture levels daily with advanced technology, like portable moisture meters. These meters allow them to measure moisture with a push of a button, putting the information they need right at their fingertips. The data gathered with moisture meters is used to make real-time watering decisions to help conserve water.

The most common water conservation practice is one you may have never heard of—the use of soil wetting agents. Wetting agents are like soapy products that reduce the surface tension of the water. Surface tension in water causes it to bead up rather than absorb into the soil surrounding the roots. By reducing this tension, water is more uniformly distributed to the grass roots. Research suggests wetting agents may improve water retention in the soil during dry conditions and water infiltration during wet conditions. Multiple case studies reveal that using wetting agents can result in a 20% or more water savings.

Water is the most valued resource in this valley and conserving it will always be a mission of The Valley Club. They look forward to continuing to learn about new methods and technology that will help them prioritize the environment, while also providing an extraordinary golf course for years to come. F