#10 Drain project

We completed the drain project near #10 green last week. Here is a follow-up with some more specifics on what we did, with pictures as well.

Although the weather was very hot for early September, it was also, luckily, dry for a few days. This allowed us to get into the area short of the right green bunker and add some additional drainage. First, we stripped all of the grass off and cleared a large area for us to work. We then exposed the drain that comes out of the bunker and tracked it to where it leads across the approach. Next, we found where the ground water was surfacing. We had originally planned on adding a surface drain where near this ground water site, but it turned out to be within a couple of feet of the bunker drain.

If you look closely, you can see the intersection of
3 pipes. However, they are not connected
and the water is release right back into the soil.

The bunker drain is a perforated pipe that water can seep into naturally; however, the ground water had been unable to reach the pipe and instead had come up to the surface and caused issues. Since the drain pipe was so close, we added a new trench from the ground water to the drain, added a bit more of the same type of pipe, and gave the ground water direct access to the drain. Now, it rises to the height of the drain, enters the pipe, and is shuttled across the approach and into the pond.

This is an old drum barrel top that was
placed over the junction of the 3 pipes to
keep soil out. It was no longer working.

We also discovered some old drain pipe that was no longer functioning. Some water was flowing in the pipes, some around the pipes. One piece was cut at both ends, allowing the water to empty right back into the soil. We found another section of three pipes that converged, but none were connected to one another. For a long time, the setup had worked adequately, but we connected all three pipes and made other upgrades while we were there.

Finally, we did add one surface drain to capture any ground water that may make it to the surface, or more likely, to capture water draining along the surface in normal fashion. We placed this drain at the last point, just before water would cross the approach. It is also linked to the bunker drain system that takes water underground and into the pond.

The new pipe and drain inlet that we added.

During this project, we also worked to contain the ground water that was seeping out in the bunker. We opened the base of the bunker and found the water. We did not want to dig too far down through the bunker and ruin its shape and integrity, so instead we dug a trench laterally in both directions. We filled these trenches with gravel, and once again connected them to the drain that is in the bunker. 

The new drains added to the bunker. The existing
drain is in the middle, with the additions
stretching to the left and right.

Now, as the ground water reaches the gravel trenches, it’s easiest direction of flow will be through the gravel, and into the drain pipe.To complete the bunker repair, we then removed all of the contaminated sand and debris that had accumulated through the season and added fresh sand throughout the bunker.

The rain we received this summer made this area unplayable, and maintenance impossible, from June through August. The additional drainage will be a significant improvement

Etiquette Reminder of the Month

Remember to please fill your divots both on the tees and in the fairways. No one wants to land in a divot in the fairway, but if a ball does happen to end up there, a sand filled divot is much better than a hole.

Also, as part of a Golf Committee initiative to improve course etiquette, we have included links to videos teaching proper on course etiquette. Please take a moment to watch:

Ball Marks - How to properly repair

Bunker etiquette

See you on the course!

Joe

jvillegas@bwrc.org