Loading rates of nutrients discharging from a golf course and a neighboring forested basin

Abstract

In the last ten years, the number of golf courses has been increasing in some countries as the game gains popularity. This indicates, a need to estimate the nutrient loading from golf courses in order to prevent the eutrophication of water bodies. Nutrient concentrations and flow rates of a brook were measured once a week from 1989 to 1990 at two sites: Site A of a brook flowing out from D-golf course (53 ha) and Site B of the same brook discharging into the golf course from an upper forested basin (23 ha) covered mainly with planted Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa SIEB. et ZUCC). The bedrock of the area was granite. The annual values of precipitation and mean temperature were 1947 mm and 13.5°C in 1989, respectively. The arithmetic average values of discharge from the forested basin and the golf course were 0.392 and 1.26 mg/l total nitrogen (TN), 0.0072 and 0.145 mg/l total phosphorus (TP), 0.82 and 3.53 mg/l potassium ion (K+, 5.92 and 8.24 mg/l sodium ion (Na+), 2.1 and 9.9 mg/l suspending solid (0.001–2.0 mm, SS), 0.087 and 0.147 mS/cm electric conductivity (EC), and 0.031 and 0.037 m3/km2•s specific discharge, respectively. The loading rates of the forested basin and the golf course were 5.42 and 13.5 TN, 0.133 and 3.04 TP, 8.84 and 33.9 K+, 55.0 and 73.0 Na+, and 54.3 and 118 SS in kg/ha•y. The leaching and runoff rate of nitrogen in the chemical fertilizers applied on the golf course was calculated as 32%. These results indicated the importance of controlling the phosphorus loading for the management of golf courses.

Nutrient Load Generated by Storm Event Runoff from a Golf Course Watershed

“…Outflow concentrations, while small in magnitude, were significantly ( p < 0.05) greater than inflow concentrations throughout the year. The measured NO 3 –N concentrations were within the range of NO 3 –N concentrations reported in other turfgrass studies (Linde and Watschke, 1997; Cohen et al, 1999; Kunimatsu et al, 1999; Shuman, 2002; Winter and Dillon, 2005). The maximum measured NO 3 –N concentration was 3.52 mg L −1 Even though the stream that was measured is not a source of drinking water, it should be noted that the NO 3 –N concentrations recorded in this study were well below the EPA drinking water standard (10 mg L −1 ) and consistent with the aforementioned turf studies.…”

“…However, these applications increase the potential for nutrients to be transported off site in surface runoff or through subsurface drainage features exiting to surface water. Runoff and nutrient loss research from turf has been conducted at the field (Morton et al, 1988; Cole et al, 1997; Linde and Watschke, 1997; Gaudreau et al, 2002; Easton and Petrovic, 2005) and to a lesser extent the watershed scale (Kunimatsu et al, 1999; Mallin and Wheeler, 2000; King et al, 2001; Winter and Dillon, 2005; Starrett and Bhandari, 2006).…”

The Impact of Golf Courses on Stream Water Temperature

“…Previous books [2][3][4] have highlighted the need to protect the aquatic environment from golf course development and operation. Many previous studies [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] have documented changes and impacts that golf courses have had on stream water chemistry, but relatively little research has looked at the impacts courses are having on physical water quality parameters like stream water temperature.…”

Avian diversity on golf courses and surrounding landscapes in Italy

“…Golf courses occupy large green areas and their numbers are growing worldwide (Priestley, 1995;Kunimatsu et al, 1999;Tanner and Gange, 2005). For example, almost one golf course a day has been opened in the USA over the last 10 years (Smith et al, 2005).…”