#9 Pond Organic Sediment Dredging Project

For the past several years the hot set-up for "dredging" ponds and keeping the costs very low with almost no restoration impact to the course is through a newer pumping method. This system does not deepen nor reconstruct the pond. It just pumps the organic sediment that causes aquatic weed issues into a holding bag for future usage when dry. Winnetka Golf Club has just had this procedure completed yesterday prior to the 2.71-inch rain storm. The 30 year old #9 Pond for several years had become the most expensive to maintain due to algae and other aquatic weed issues. We should be able to recover the cost of dredging through product and labor savings in the next few years.

Below is the holding bag upon delivery. It is staged between two berms on the left side of the ninth hole just south of the new irrigation pump house.


The worker is grading the recent greens aeration cores to provide a level base.


Here is the bag upon initial starting of the pump operation. Notice the water flowing out of the bag into the channel staff made directing the water to a drain.




This picture is taken showing the small creek in back of #9 Green. There are two divers moving the suction hose back and forth across the bottom of the creek which gets pumped overland to the holding bag previously seen. There is another diver removing some of the larger aquatic weed matter to the shoreline.



This is a close up of the same operation.



Here we are a few days latter. There is another diver under water while this diver is assisting moving the heavy hose.




Here one can see the bag filling up with organic sediment.



This picture shows the water going in to the ditch staff dug to the closest drain.

I apologize as we have a couple of short one minute videos showing this operation but was unable to upload them. Of course then you would of had to endure my narration!

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Session #2 ...What did we do over the winter break?

This is the most frequently asked question to every superintendent and golf course worker. Basically from the time we "put-the-course-to-bed-for-winter" we are preparing the course for opening the next Spring. One rarely seen aspect is any large scale project that require frozen ground are then undertaken. This winter staff had budgeted and planned to replace the breached 18-inch concrete reinforced culvert pipe (with 36-inch PVC) that takes all the drainage water from the golf course pond system to #17 Pond and the main pumps at #17 along the dike. Please note, we did not increase the flow off the course. Only the efficiency of getting water to the pumps and eliminating the 'short-cycling' of the pumps as well as the breach repair were the objectives. Following are several pictures of this successful construction project accomplished during January. This also explains why the area was resodded and roped off to route cart and golfer traffic.

The proverbial "before" picture. If you double click on any picture it will enlarge. Notice the lighted construction horses (sitting on plywood) are on top of the previously exposed irrigation pipe and wires for #17 Tee. Staff exposed these in early December prior to ground freezing solid. The metal box on the right holds all the control panels and 460-volt electrical service for both pumps. Please note that the control panel was correctly installed decades earlier 'above' the flood plain.

Large tracked backhoe being offloaded from it's trailer.

Rubber tire articulated pay-loader has been offloaded onto site.

Opening day! Breaking into frozen ground. Delicately working around the previously exposed irrigation pipes and wires.

Don Voss standing next to the 'safety-box' required by OSHA for all below ground excavation. Don stands 6' 2" tall.

The steel wet-well had to have a new larger flange to connect to the larger 36-inch culvert pipe. The only way to do it correctly was to cut out the old and weld in the new piece.

Don Voss the 'patriarch' of the park district with 34 years of loyal and dedicated service to the golf course stands 6'2" and is standing next to a section of the 'new' 36" PVC culvert pipe. This PVC will ensure no future breaches for the future.

New metal flange being lowered 15-feet into place 'inside' the wet-well. Hard to see but notice the tops of the two (2) green 1,500 gallon per minute pumps at bottom of picture. Obviously the pit is dry (for first time in 40 years) for the welder to operate.

Near completion looking back toward #17 Tee.

Winter pictures taken by Assistant Mark Anderson.



Staff reconnecting the irrigation lines and wires. Site is also being prepared for sod.

After picture of Hole #17 as of May 7th.

American Bittern sighting at Winnetka Golf Club

Although common to Chicagoland the American Bittern is hard to find due to their ability to blend in with the natural surroundings as seen in the following pictures. They belong to the same family as Herons(Ardeidae). Ardeidae's are wadding birds with long necks and stalk food in shallow water. When alarmed Bittern's freeze with bill pointing up. Apparently he knew he would be posted to this Blog and wanted to give us his 'good side' portrait!





This Bittern was photographed at the Pond in back of #4 Green.

From this angle notice the birds ability to camouflage into the surrounding grasses.