Saturated Soil Plus Wind Equals Down Trees

It has been a while since I have posted, but the recent weather is noteworthy. I just got back from the Golf Industry Show where I teach a half day weather class, and I found myself going through a lot of the procedures that are covered for the severe weather portion of the class. California has not seen weather of this intensity in many years, with numerous big impacts to the course.

                This large tree came down on the 12th green

A large Eucalyptus tree across the 13th tee with 3 others down on the right hand side damaging the fence and nearly reaching the house.

      Numerous large eucalyptus trees in the drainage behind the fitness building

          A large pine down on the left hand side of the 10th hole

 All the trees came down between 5pm and 6:30pm last evening, and are in more or less a straight line, which indicates the likelihood of straight line wind damage from a micro-burst.

Fortunately Straun Edwards and Trees 360 are on site and taking care of us first thing this morning. And although it is raining at this moment, the forecast for the next 3 days is for mostly clear skies. That will be a relief after all the recent rain and resulting damage.



Kevin

Maintenance Week 2016 Complete

There is a lot of planning that goes into Maintenance Week, so cancelling and rescheduling to a later date is avoided if at all possible. When at 2 weeks from beginning maintenance week the forecast was calling for rain just about every day, I got a little nervous and thought about cancelling the 875 tons of sand, 15 tons of fertilizer, 20,000 lbs of seed that was to be applied that week. Applying those things and rain don't mix, let alone punching holes in the greens, removing the cores, and filling with sand.

Only one mishap with the spreader truck. Shown here between 17 and 18.

After considering all the possibilities I went forward. Now the Monday after maintenance week things look good out on the course despite over 5 inches of rain that fell in the last 8 days.

First pass with the aerator under ominous skies

Course back open for play

It works out for the best, because the work was done in a week that was not conducive for golf and this week the weather is darn near perfect. The course will rebound quickly with the rain and in northern California you never wish away rain during a drought.


Kevin

Where Are We This Winter So Far?

I want to provide a little winter check up on where we are and where we might be in a few months.

Water has been the topic for the last few years and now we are receiving normal amounts, and it has changed things considerably. Better turf, and improved tree health being the biggest changes.

Cool wet weather is great for Poa health as well. Because it is one of the grasses we are trying to keep out of the golf course we continually eradicate it with physical removal and chemicals. There are many spots around the course where we have been successful and these areas have been seeded for recovery.

Dead Poa next to the cart path on #14

With the abundant rain there has been no need to pump water out of the pond at #11 and  algae has grown on the rock wall. The algae turned white when it dried out and is very noticeable right now. Solutions are being evaluated, and the unsightliness will be short lived. One of the very few negative impacts to the rain is the color of the rock right now.

Algae growth on the rock wall at the pond at #11

One last thing that I will mention in this posting is our new landscape plants. They are growing slowly during the winter months and if they don't pick up the pace, more plants will be put in. It would be premature to add more now, However, I am keeping a keen eye on the progress, and am prepared to add more when necessary. Our other new areas to be planted have not been done due to the rain. They are on the schedule, and needless to say all the growers and installation companies are behind.

We just had a nice week of dry clear weather, and now the rain is forecast to be back late this coming week. It is a welcome occurrence with the benefits we are seeing. Healthy turf, time to do projects, and good water reserves for the dry summer months.

 Kevin

Years of Drainage Work Paying Off

The return of average rains to the course have revealed improved drainage that is the result of projects and maintenance practices taking place in the last 4 years.

18th green in 2012 with standing water that lasted for days after rain

18th green in 2016 after rain

Greens drainage is always one of the most important factors to good greens. Our aerification and topdressing practices over the last 4 years have obvious results.

#1 fairway 2012

#1 fairway 2016

A great portion of the water that flows onto the golf course comes from the back 9, and the parking lots, finding its way onto the 1st fairway. Additional drainage added during the turf conversion of 2012, and the renovation last year of the old piping, has resulted in a much lower surface flow on the 1st fairway.

Throughout the golf course, years of topdressing has made a tremendous change. This added sand has allowed carts back out onto the golf course after some pretty significant rain events this year, and playability remains high in the fairways where years of sand has been added. Over time the topdressing being added to roughs will yield the same results.

Hopefully the rains continue through winter, and significant drought recovery is achieved. If they do continue, rest assured that the course is draining better than ever, and improvements are continuing.

Kevin

New turf covers on the practice tee

Turf covers are not something I associated with Los Gatos when I first came here. I thought they were something from my past years in the mountains. However with our unseasonably cold temperatures this year, these new covers that were put down today, will improve divot recovery substantially.

Chance of Rain

It has been a long time  since we have had a chance of rain  so  it is worth mentioning that next weekend  there is a good chance .  In the  meantime there is a lot of preparation  going on this week  that includes hydroseeding. Those areas  will be  roped and staked, with signage in most cases.. The forecast discussion is attached below, let's hope for the best and know that we are prepared for rain.

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=mtr&product=AFD&format=ci&version=1&glossary=1 From 1Weather for Android. http://bit.ly/1Weather

Maintenance Week Round-up

Thought you might like to know what maintenance work was done this week during our 4 day closure.

875 tons of  topdressing delivered and applied

Cart path repairs completed

New greens dryjected

Greens aerated 2 times over

Fairways and rough seeded and fertilized in conjunction with topdressing and aeration

400 Lavender and 6,500 Carex planted at the 11th hole.

Practice area patio foundation wall poured

Detail clean up crew getting the course ready for play in 100 degree temps

You how I like to have my plate full, so true to form I packed a lot into this week. What was not planned was the weather and the100 degree temps pushed us to our limits. I really appreciate how my staff responded and met the challenge. WELL DONE GUYS!!

Kevin

Back Now After a Break

Time to get back on track posting the latest here after taking a break from writing.

Briefly, I will summarize the time off by saying there have been various events both at work and at home that have needed all my energy and focus. So, lets get up to speed on what has been going on.

New Aussie pup "Arlo"

New well being drilled adjacent to the 12th tee complex in July

The quest for water continues. Our primary source is the old refurbished well at the back of the practice range. Although it produced close to 200 gpm for the majority of the summer, lately it started to pull sand and gravel. The gradual degradation of the well casing is now to the point where it is inoperable. There are 3 options that are being considered. 1) Patch the holes that have developed in the casing. 2) Sleeve the old 14 inch casing with an 8 inch casing. 3) Drill a new well in the same location.

 Fortunately, we have back up water from the City of San Jose, and a new well. Ironically the San Jose source is basically the same water we used to get from Santa Clara County only now it has traveled to the water treatment plant and costs a lot more.








In switching over to the well, there was the need to produce a holding facility. The lake excavation spoils haul off tied in nicely to re-designing the practice facility and those areas are spectacular now that they are grassed. It is easily the nicest most thought out practice area that I have been a part of.

Crane placing the foot bridge over the new irrigation lake at the 11th hole

Water conservation has been happening throughout the San Jose region and our our water district is leading the way with an over 30% cut back in use. At La Rinconada we are currently at 28% and I project we will be close to 35% by the end of this year. Achieving this high reduction while under construction and growing in new grass has been a delicate balancing act. Recently I received comments that the course looked too good. Too green for the drought conditions. Well, I will work on that.

Selective grassing of the #11th hole to conserve water

As I close this I have to mention one last change. Since becoming a GCSAA Board Member last February, my schedule has had to be rearranged. Not as much leisure time. The ultra trail races I was doing last year have taken a back seat, and there has been a concerted focus on time management. It is very gratifying to do this industry work, and  it can not happen without the full support of the club, my staff and my family. It is truly service work that requires giving of one self.

It is taking time to adjust to these changes and I look forward to getting back into the routine of posting. Stay tuned, I hear El Nino is on its way!


Kevin

The Quest for Water Continues

Today a few very important things came together that keep us moving closer to having our own water source.

The pump station arrived and is being offloaded the delivery truck for assembly on the pad.

The pump station ready for offloading

Pump station off the truck and being put into place on the skid

The other critical component to the water infrastructure is the new well. We have reached the desired depth of 1000 feet for testing our well. Analysis of the water potential and quality will happen this week.

Our holding pond construction is coming along very well. The liner installation is happening this week so that when we do pump water we will have a place to put it.

Liner being pulled in the pond

A lot of planning and time go into the different components of our water system and today these were signs that we are zeroing in.

Firework Show

When writing a new post I always go back to the last one and re-read it. In the opening of the last post I mention that a lot has happened; some good and some not so good. After that post I got many emails of condolence about the not so good news of loosing my dog. Thank you for reaching out to me and remembering a remarkable animal, it brightened my day.

Hey, guess what? More stuff has happened on our progress to having a new water source and  practice area. Projects are like the 4th of July fireworks show. You anxiously wait until the time is right, then you get a few ooohs and ahhhs as it progresses, and then at the end it seems 90% of the show happens. Well, we are at the 80% mark in the show and the climactic end is setting up.

14 inch main line tie in

The main line to the new pump station has been tied into the existing system.

National Well Drillers setting up

On Monday our well drillers set up. They are anticipating 2 10 hour days to get a test hole to 1,000 feet.

Pump station pad in the early stages of construction

The pump station slab gets poured this week. It is large enough to house our injection equipment and tanks, keeping the area tidy.


By the end of this week our pond liner installation will begin. Our haul out of material from the pond to the practice area will be complete, and the practice short game area will be rough graded.

The big finale is not here yet, but just like the 4th of July, expect that at the very end things will happen quickly with lots of oohs and aahs.

Kevin

Catching up

The lack of posting should tell you that my schedule has been busy. A lot has happened, some of it good some of it not so much.

The development of the new water infrastructure has been going well. After 3 weeks of work the pond excavation is nearly complete, the wet well nearly set, and the final product can be visualized. When complete the 11th hole is going to be spectacular.

Pond excavation and wet well site

The spoils from the pond excavation are going to the practice area. 6,500 yards of the 9,000 total volume has been transported and the new shape is coming into view.

Fill material being put into place on the back of the practice area

The piping from the old well to the new pond is 95% complete. The most difficult part of the pipe route was the canyon next to the clubhouse. Some ingenuity and hdpe pipe proved to be a successful combination.

8 inch hdpe pipe along the canyon edge

Milestones left in the project include the pump station installation beginning on April 15th. The new well drilling scheduled to start April 13th. PG&E electric hook ups to begin April 1st.


I lost my companion Meggie since my last post. We had 10 of the best years a dog and owner could have shared. The time we spent together bonded us in a very unique way that I am so grateful for.

Meggie

My board service to GCSAA also began in the last few weeks. I look forward to giving my time to the association and the profession that I am so proud to be a part of.

I look forward to things getting back to being a little more predictable and manageable in the next few weeks, and being more consistent in my postings.

Kevin

Latest Storm Brings Seasonal Precipitation Total Near Normal

This has been a season of extremes. 2014 was one of the warmest and driest on record except for 2 weeks in December when over 12 inches of rain fell. Then 2015 began with the driest January on record. That leads us to today and we are cleaning up after a series of very strong storms that precipitated 4 inches of rain in 3 days. How do you predict that?

The course has taken the rain very well with bunker was outs being the biggest problem. We have repaired lots of drainage lines which has helped tremendously to limit flooding and wash outs.

8 inch drain line found in #1 rough line

We have had relatively few trees down during these storms and a lot of that I attribute to the tree care program in place. On Saturday we did have one large tree blow over.

Eucalyptus tree blow over behind #10 green

In preparation for the upcoming storms and the potential pond work, the water was pumped out and the fish relocated to the pond on the 14th hole.

One of the 15 fish relocated to #14

The pond devoid of water Thursday prior to the storm

The same pond on Sunday after 3 inches of rain

I certainly don't know what the weather has in store for us for the remainder of the winter rain season. But I am grateful that we are near normal totals at this point, even though how we have gotten that rain has been anything but normal.

.Kevin

Dry and Cool Has Me Thinking Drought Again

It has been a while since my last posting and that is because it looked so promising for the winter rains returning and  being locked into projects with little new going on. Well that is not the case as it turns out.

There has been no rain since mid December and no sign of its return. That spells trouble for the entire state this summer, not just the golf course. In our situation we will have switched over to our well water by May. That is not to say we will not be conserving water, however we will be in a better position to water the course in 2015. Removal of high water use turf and replacing with wood chips or native grasses are key to our success in reducing our water use.

Mulched areas added around trees will help conserve water

The investments that La Rinconada is making now for a long term water source are critical. If you are on the fence about that last statement you need to go no further than 20 miles down the road to Pasatiempo to see what happens when your water supply is cut off. In fairness, they are recovering extremely well, but the summer of 2014 is one they never want to repeat.

New native grass plantings in the parking lot

In the next month look for more work that ensures La Rinconada is sustainable during times of drought. Pond excavation, native grasses and mulch are a key component of our strategy.

Kevin

Rain For a Week Relieving Course Drought

GOES West image showing deep moisture training into California with more on the way

The last month has been a great stretch of weather for all of California and has done a lot to moisten the soil on the course. Over 5 inches have fallen in the last week and it is raining now with a forecast for another .5 of an inch. There have been a few wash outs and minor flooding, but overall it has been a friendly rain, soaking into areas that were bone dry prior.

The policy for play is for the course to remain open as long as it is safe and no irreparable damage will be incurred. That puts on onus on the players to have the best interest of the course in mind, relying on common sense. We are fortunate to live in a climate where golf can be played year round leaving little reason to play in heavy rain.

Flooding on the 12th Monday, December 2nd

For the golf maintenance staff, this weather gives us time to catch up on work around the shop and training. For example, today we watched some training videos, detailed out equipment, and did a little "deep cleaning". Like the players we also only go out when it is safe and we are not doing damage. Heavy equipment that creates ruts is not used on saturated ground, hence the rough can get pretty high with prolonged periods of rain. However cutting cups, hand mowing of greens, tees and approaches can be done in inclement weather without damage.

Well, lets hope that this is the start to a wet winter and puts us back in a good position with our state water reserves.




Kevin

Well and Water Update

The irrigation main line contractor and well motor installation companies have been going hard the past 8 days and now we are only days away from testing out the delivery system. The project has been going very well with everyone working together to complete the field work in a very short period of time and with little disruption to members.

The connection of the new main line from the well  to the old existing system main line was made today Monday November 17th, 2014

This system will be temporary until the ponds are excavated and the new pump station installed by next spring.

The route of the new pipe through the west side of the practice area

Magiorra Bros. installing the well motor and casing last Friday

The well pump control unit and pressure tanks located at the back of the practice area Monday

By Thursday all the piping connections to the well will be made and a generator will be used to power the well motor for testing. It is expected that we will need to rely on this system until spring, which will necessitate more daytime watering.

Kevin