Every superintendent has “water on the brain” these days, no matter where our properties are located. Water’s availability, and quality, are things we must all be aware of constantly now, as critical factors in our quests to provide prime course conditions year-round.
As in every profession, however, there are people who just think about critical issues—and people who want to take action and help to find workable solutions. Someone who hasn’t hesitated to take the lead in representing our field’s interests on water issues is Mark Jarrell, CGCS, Superintendent at Palm Beach National Golf and Country Club in Lake Worth, Fla., since 1979.
Palm Beach National, owned by Rich Products Corp., has a long-standing reputation as a premier course, thanks in no small part to the work of Mark and his staff. But in recent years, as South Florida has experienced one of the most severe droughts in its history, even a crew as talented and experienced as Mark’s has been put to the test as never before—especially as extreme water restrictions have been imposed by regulatory bodies that don’t seem to have either a good understanding of how the golf business uses water, or a full appreciation for the harm they can do to their own region’s economy when golf courses are targeted in an uneven and unfair fashion.
The January issue of C&RB included a report (“A Slippery Slope,” pg. 10) on how Mark has tried to help get the facts into the public record and “fight city hall”—in his case, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), which imposed 45% water-use reduction rules on golf courses within its jurisdiction, effective this past January 15. To get more insights on how Mark and his colleagues are trying to cope with their situation and bring some sense into the equation, I got back in touch with him and had this exchange:
Q Mark, before we get into the history of the situation in South Florida and how it’s affected you at your course, let’s start with the present and work backwards—what’s the latest on where things stand with water restrictions in South Florida?
A From a weather standpoint, we’ve finally started to get some badly-needed rain—but of course we need to get much more to make up for the previous shortfalls that dropped Lake Okeechobee, which is basically South Florida’s main water reserve, to about five feet below its average.
From a regulatory standpoint, though, I’m afraid it’s still the “same old, same old.” In early February, several of us who are superintendents in this area, led by our Florida GCSAA President, Matt Taylor, had another meeting with SFWMD officials. Over the past quarter-century, superintendents here have won some hard-earned respect from this agency, because of our professionalism and cooperative spirit. But the restrictions they have still imposed, and our latest exchanges with them, make it clear that they still don’t get it—and as a result, the golf industry is still viewed, and regulated, as a “non-essential” water user.
In this latest meeting, we tried to point out that the formula they are using to determine courses’ monthly water needs is flawed and really amounts to imposing a 70% water-use reduction, instead of the 45% that’s called for under their Phase 3 water restrictions. We also tried to point out how these restrictions are particularly burdensome during our peak busy season.
Their response, unfortunately, was basically to just continue to give us a runaround and ask for more comments, even though we’ve already given them several very detailed written responses and proposals. It was pretty clear we won’t see any changes this year that could help provide some relief to the golf courses here.
Q And as long as the agency takes this stance, it’s tough to get any public support for your plight?
A Exactly. Rather than helping the public understand about our positive contributions to groundwater recharge and efficient use of water, the SWFMD, through the way they’ve structured restrictions, is just adding to the misconception of golf courses as huge “water wasters.” This perpetuates the unfair treatment for courses, which are in fact huge contributors not only to Florida’s economy but also to the recharge of its groundwater—while accounting for less than 3% of total water consumption. The truth is that Florida has plenty of water, but has not developed an adequate storage system to keep up with its unregulated growth.
Every superintendent has “water on the brain” these days, no matter where our properties are located. Water’s availability, and quality, are things we must all be aware of constantly now, as critical factors in our quests to provide prime course conditions year-round.
As in every profession, however, there are people who just think about critical issues—and people who want to take action and help to find workable solutions. Someone who hasn’t hesitated to take the lead in representing our field’s interests on water issues is Mark Jarrell, CGCS, Superintendent at Palm Beach National Golf and Country Club in Lake Worth, Fla., since 1979.
Palm Beach National, owned by Rich Products Corp., has a long-standing reputation as a premier course, thanks in no small part to the work of Mark and his staff. But in recent years, as South Florida has experienced one of the most severe droughts in its history, even a crew as talented and experienced as Mark’s has been put to the test as never before—especially as extreme water restrictions have been imposed by regulatory bodies that don’t seem to have either a good understanding of how the golf business uses water, or a full appreciation for the harm they can do to their own region’s economy when golf courses are targeted in an uneven and unfair fashion.
The January issue of C&RB included a report (“A Slippery Slope,” pg. 10) on how Mark has tried to help get the facts into the public record and “fight city hall”—in his case, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), which imposed 45% water-use reduction rules on golf courses within its jurisdiction, effective this past January 15. To get more insights on how Mark and his colleagues are trying to cope with their situation and bring some sense into the equation, I got back in touch with him and had this exchange:
Q Mark, before we get into the history of the situation in South Florida and how it’s affected you at your course, let’s start with the present and work backwards—what’s the latest on where things stand with water restrictions in South Florida?
A From a weather standpoint, we’ve finally started to get some badly-needed rain—but of course we need to get much more to make up for the previous shortfalls that dropped Lake Okeechobee, which is basically South Florida’s main water reserve, to about five feet below its average.
From a regulatory standpoint, though, I’m afraid it’s still the “same old, same old.” In early February, several of us who are superintendents in this area, led by our Florida GCSAA President, Matt Taylor, had another meeting with SFWMD officials. Over the past quarter-century, superintendents here have won some hard-earned respect from this agency, because of our professionalism and cooperative spirit. But the restrictions they have still imposed, and our latest exchanges with them, make it clear that they still don’t get it—and as a result, the golf industry is still viewed, and regulated, as a “non-essential” water user.
In this latest meeting, we tried to point out that the formula they are using to determine courses’ monthly water needs is flawed and really amounts to imposing a 70% water-use reduction, instead of the 45% that’s called for under their Phase 3 water restrictions. We also tried to point out how these restrictions are particularly burdensome during our peak busy season.
Their response, unfortunately, was basically to just continue to give us a runaround and ask for more comments, even though we’ve already given them several very detailed written responses and proposals. It was pretty clear we won’t see any changes this year that could help provide some relief to the golf courses here.
Q And as long as the agency takes this stance, it’s tough to get any public support for your plight?
A Exactly. Rather than helping the public understand about our positive contributions to groundwater recharge and efficient use of water, the SWFMD, through the way they’ve structured restrictions, is just adding to the misconception of golf courses as huge “water wasters.” This perpetuates the unfair treatment for courses, which are in fact huge contributors not only to Florida’s economy but also to the recharge of its groundwater—while accounting for less than 3% of total water consumption.
The truth is that Florida has plenty of water, but has not developed an adequate storage system to keep up with its unregulated growth.
Q How do these restrictions affect the ability of superintendents in the region to do their jobs?
A They translate into tough decisions about what we can or cannot do to maintain our golf courses, and in particular to remain competitive for the seasonal golfers, who make or break our bottom lines.
Do we overseed, wondering if there will be enough water to keep it alive? How do we adjust mowing heights and frequencies, to minimize water use? How much extra should we spend on wetting agents and anti-transpirants? Do we spend money on more drought-tolerant annuals for the season, or eliminate their use altogether? Should we hire extra help to hand-water? These are just some of the hard questions now for many golf courses here that are fighting for their very survival.
Q I remember my high-school biology teacher saying, “Water can’t be used, nor made—simply changed.” How does that come into play for you?
A While no superintendent would argue that water for a golf course is more important than drinking and sanitation water, we do need to be forceful in showing how all courses do more than their fair share for groundwater recharge, and therefore should receive fair consideration when droughts occur. In my nearly 29 years at Palm Beach National, I would estimate that for every gallon of the groundwater supply I’ve taken out, I have returned—at the very least—three gallons. Also, water used by a golf course is not lost or polluted, like domestic consumption; rather, it’s “borrowed” temporarily to move nutrients into the turfgrass plant and to help cool it, and then returned to the atmosphere to continue the natural water cycle.
Q What about reclaimed water—how does it factor into the situation?
A On my water permit renewal application last year, SFWMD stated that “reclaimed water must be used in place of higher-quality water sources.” Isn’t it interesting that SFWMD’s own language makes this distinction? In my view, this is another example of how golf courses are treated unfairly. Why should a course have to accept “reclaimed” water that has been polluted somewhere else and is usually detrimental to the health of turfgrass, due to salts and/or heavy metals? Why should we give up rights to the water we’ve helped to collect, filter and return to the groundwater supplies, with no assistance from public monies?
Q Is there anything your fellow superintendents from the rest of the country—as well as others who work in the club and resort business, or use its facilities and services—can do to help, Mark?
A While I appreciate the magnitude of the water problem facing the SFWMD, I cannot stand by idly and accept that part of their “solution” places such an inequitable burden on the golf industry. It’s been frustrating to date, but I’m not giving up hope that our voices can eventually be heard and that fairness will eventually win out over the current mentality of “easy target, easy solution.”
To that end, I would encourage any superintendent or club manager—and just as importantly, members and guests at your clubs who also come to South Florida to play and spend money here—to contact the SFWMD and express support for our cause and our contentions. You can contact them through their website, www.sfwmd.gov, or by calling 561-686-8800 or writing to P. O. Box 24680, West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680. If they hear from enough influential people, maybe it will wake them up—and keep other agencies in other parts of the country from following their lead.
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