The Drought Continues....

After catching a good break of rain back in late July and early August, the last month and a half has gone straight back into the dry conditions we experienced the rest of the spring and early summer.  Since August 15th, about the last 6 weeks, we have seen .90" of precipitation, with most of that falling in the last week of August.  In the month of September, with only 3 days to go (that also look totally dry based on the forecast,) we have seen a mere .20" of total precipitation.....basically nothing considering how dry the ground is.

Fortunately, the temperatures during that timeframe have been pretty reasonable, usually at or a little below normal.  Regardless, the lack of natural rainfall has really started to show on the course again.  When we have to completely rely on overhead irrigation to water the course for such a prolonged period of time, its inefficiencies really start to show.  Fortunately we of course have the ability to handwater our greens now, but with an extremely limited staff this time of year it becomes difficult to find the time to do that with all the other tasks still left to keep up with on the course (mainly leaf cleanup!)

Of course, we are pegged right in the middle of the only area of "extreme drought" in the state....

Another downfall to relying on our irrigation system so much this season is the simple monetary cost of using it.  It takes a lot of electrical power to run not only the irrigation pumps, but also the river transfer pump to keep the pond full.  All told we have spent nearly double the amount of money on electricity (about an additional $4,000) to run those pumps this summer compared to last. 

And of course, as the river continues to drop, we have to keep going out and moving the transfer pump out so it stays in the water.....

Almost October, still out muddin' in the river

October really needs to bring us some serious, soaking, beneficial rains.  We had a very similar dry fall last year, and we all saw the consequences of that come springtime with all the dead grass.  As we approach the time of year when I start to think about "putting the course to bed" for the winter, part of that equation is having adequate rootzone moisture throughout the golf course.  Our irrigation system simply cannot provide that nearly as well as Mother Nature can.  Let's hope for some good rains in October, and then a nice blanket of snow by, let's say, November 10th.....