USGA/NTEP Cool-Season and Warm-Season Water Use Trials (Cool-season Trials, $15,000 2016-19; Warm-season Trials $30,000, 2018-21)
Te United States Golf Association (USGA) has budgeted considerable funding to conduct a national water use and drought tolerance trial, utilizing the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) as its evaluation organization. Besides data collection on water use and drought resistance parameters, the goal of this effort is for the EPA Water Sense® program to adopt these (or similar methods) and to agree to certify the first plant species with the Water Sense® label. USGA has become a Water Sense® partner and NTEP has expressed interest in this idea from the Water Sense® staff. However, EPA needs more information about the methods and tests, as well as we believe, some successful trials.
Tis view shows some of the landscape conversion plots and comparison plots of established turfgrass systems.
Plugs of buffalograss are shown in the greenhouse prior to establishment.
Te USGA has funded the installation of ten rainout shelters in the United States, five in the northern or transition zone and five in the southern region. Within these shelters, cooperators restrict irrigation for a period of 100 days for cool-season grasses or 120-150 days for warm-season grasses in “Approach 1.” In “Approach 2” in the western US, they utilize three evapotranspiration (ET) replacement rates of 40, 60, and 80 percent. Te cool-season sites were established in 2016 and 2017 and the warm-season sites were established in the summer of 2018. Data collection on the cool-season trials began in 2017, and in some cases notable differences in cool- season water use were recorded.
Documenting water use at multiple sites throughout the country is important for several reasons. First, new drought tolerant cultivars need to be compared with older standard cultivars for actual water use and their ability to maintain quality and green cover. It is also important to show municipalities, water utilities, regulators and others that drought tolerant cultivars are available with documented water use data and finally, having a certification program that identifies and labels drought tolerant cultivars is essential to the continued use of turfgrass on lawns and other areas where water use is a major concern.
16
As the population grows rapidly in urban areas, water conservation has become a key priority for many municipalities throughout the United States. Many homeowners traditionally prefer landscapes composed predominantly of natural turfgrass, but some communities, particularly in arid regions, are now enacting rebate programs which incentivize the removal of turfgrass and conversion to alternative landscapes with the goal of reducing outdoor water use. Te objectives of this research are to utilize the urban landscape runoff facility at Texas A&M to evaluate runoff volume and chemistry dynamics following various types of landscape conversions in comparison to established turfgrass systems. Specifically, it will examine runoff flow, volume, and chemistry dynamics associated with urban landscape conversions. Te project will also seek to document differences in reflective temperatures, maintenance, and overall landscape health/ performance over the course of the study. In addition to
Environmental Impacts and Runoff Dynamics Associated with Turfgrass Removal and Urban Landscapes ($30,000, 2018-19)
Each plot is individually irrigated. Drip irrigation is being installed here. TPI Turf News September/October 2018
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
