Rationale: Approximately 50,000,000 acres of turf in US. Turf is most in intensively managed landuse in the urban landscape. Turf rivals agricultural crops such as corn and soybeans as the primary landuse in several states. Public perception identifies managed turf, especially golf courses as significantly contributing to nonpoint source pollution. Goal: Assess and characterize the environmental aspects of urban and golf course turf
Objective: Quantify long-term watershed scale hydrology and water quality aspects of managed turf Approach: Measure storm event and baseflow hydrology and water quality from three managed turf sites in three varying climatic regions on surface runoff and baseflow and collect water quality samples. Findings: Discharge expressed as a fraction of rainfall is considerably greater compared to other land uses. Measured nitrate concentrations contributed by the courses are well below drinking water standards. Dissolved phosphorus concentrations generally exceed levels consistent with those known to lead to eutrophication. Pesticide concentrations were generally low although seasonal spikes have been measured.
Objective: Determine and quantify water quality contribution from different transport processes. Approach: Establish the partitioning of hydrology and water quality in baseflow, subsurface drainage and storm event runoff from managed turf by continuous measurement. Findings: Hydrology of subsurface drainage is significantly linked to irrigation. 20-60% of pollutants exiting the site are cycled through the subsurface drainage network.
Objective: Relate hydrology and water quality findings to turf management and evaluate turfgrass Best Management Practices. Approach: Correlate nutrient and pesticide losses to fertility, pest and irrigation management. Findings: Approximately 15% of the applied nitrogen is captured in discharge waters Most significant phosphorus losses occur during turf dormancy Reducing phosphorus application and modifying the irrigation strategy suggests a decrease in phosphorus concentration

WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION OF MANAGED TURF (PDF)