Winnetka Golf Club Flood Update: What & Why it happened, general assessment and what to expect moving forward.

From the back of #14 Green - Day 2 of the "Great Flood of 2011".

Hole #14 two weeks post flood.

The Great Flood of 2011

What caused the substandard conditions to the Fairways & Rough at Winnetka GC?

WHAT HAPPENED:

• 7-inches of rain fell on Saturday July 23rd and an additional 2” over the next six days.
• The 18-Hole Course was completely submerged (excluding most greens and tees) for 3 to 4 days.

WHY IT HAPPENED:

• The Winnetka Golf Club’s primary function is flood relief for the community followed by recreation.
• The course takes on twice the watershed (>200 acres) than the 110 acre course.
• Thus, a typical two-inch rainstorm is equal to a four-inch storm.
• The macro-drainage system operates via 12,000 gallons-per-minute of water are pumped into the ponds from the residential area and the course itself. Only 8,000 gallons-per-minute are pumped off the property.
• Due to the extensive pond system and pumping capacity (macro-drainage), and the vast amount of surface drainage (micro-drainage), the course can typically respond similarly with other courses. This storm overwhelmed the entire system. The two supplemental drainage pumps were on line within three hours of the rain storm. These two pumps and the automated drainage pumps were operational throughout. They ran uninterrupted for nearly four days.

WHY ARE THE FAIRWAYS SO BROWN:

• Turfgrass can stay submerged for only brief periods as oxygen is essential to the root system of the plant.
• The fairway turf that was submerged 2-3 days was severely damaged and died back to the crown of the plant. Thus you may see the new shoots of green turf slowly coming back in the brown areas.
• The fairway turf that was submerged for 3-4 days has died and can be identified by the barren or muddy areas. At this point in time it is approximately 20-30% of the total 25 acres of fairway turf or about 5-8 acres has died.
• The fairway turf is cut considerably lower than the rough and subsequently is more sensitive to stress.

WHAT IS STAFF DOING TO RESTORE THE FAIRWAYS:

• Staff has already completed aeration and over seeding on most fairways.
• Fairways have been sprayed preventatively for disease control and a moderate amount of liquid fertilizer.
• As soon as the conditions firm up from last weekend's rain staff will continue the over-seeding program in to the rough. Areas that do not germinate, or are set back by excessive rain or temperatures, will be over seeded repeatedly throughout the fall and next spring as necessary.

WHAT SHOULD THE GOLFER EXPECT:

• The best recovery should take place during the temperate months of September and October.
• The re-establishment program will be ongoing until there is 100% recovery. This may take us into next spring.
• The appearance of the fairways by late October will be a good indicator of what to expect for 2012.
• By late May next year, weather permitted, fairways should be back to normal.

GENERAL ASSESSMENT:

• The best recovery and most critical influence moving forward is cooperative weather. The right climatic conditions will provide for more recovery than any money applied to labor, seed, fertilizer or chemicals.
• Heavy rainfalls, high temperatures and high humidity can set back the recovery process.
• Fortunately we are on the approaching the very best two week window (annually) to encourage successful over seeding in our climate…the end of August.
• Once this work is completed, in the future, we look forward to the fairways being better than ever as Pennlinks II is the newer variety bentgrass being used for reseeding. #10 Approach was sodded to this variety in 2007 and has done better than any other variety after a flood experience.

From #5 Green - Day 2 of the flood.

From #5 Green two weeks post flood.

One of a few new surface drainage projects initiated post flood. This is #18 Fairway where winter ice damage has been reoccurring.

Great opportunity to reseed with newest flood tolerant bentgrass "Pennlinks II". This variety was used as sod on #10 Approach in conjunction with the Rick  Jacobson Renovation work in 2007. This variety has proven to be very flood tolerant after the September 2008 flood as well as last month. It also shows strong characteristics of resisting poa encroachment.

New seedlings emerging 4 days post aerating and seeding.

 Yahoo!!! Click on picture to enlarge.