Our irrigation water comes from deep wells on the Lahontan site, and it is very pure with little electrical conductivity, which is a measure of salts. The one thing that it does have is bicarbonate CaCO3, and this is a recipe for creating a sink for salt development in our soils. To combat the accumulation of bicarbonate, and a pH above 8 in our water, we add gypsum to our irrigation ponds, inject acids into our irrigation system, apply fertilizers with acidifying characteristics, and flush our greens regularly. Flushing assists in the removal of salts, and wets the entire soil profile consistently and deeply.
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| 10 tons of gypsum added to the 12th pond |
The soil is tested throughout the season, and through the years we have learned that although our pure water looks pretty good on paper, in actuality it is difficult to keep things growing using this water once the bicarbonate starts to react with the calcium, phosphorous and other nutrients in the soil that the turf is needing.
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| Lime 8 years after application, yet to solublize, and be available for plants and soil structure |
There is a constant struggle to maintain good soil structure, and its importance cannot be over emphasized because the soil is where the plant grows. The soils on the courses have come a very long way since the course was built. Hundreds of thousands of tons of lime, gypsum, composts, and sands have gone into bringing up the quality tremendously.
Kevin
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