05 - WATER QUALITY MONITORING & MANAGEMENT
Golf courses employ a variety of practices to protect surface water and groundwater quality.
In Texas, these include stormwater pollution prevention plans, aquatic plant management plans, water quality monitoring plans (including water sampling), nutrient management plans, integrated pest management (IPM) plans, and other protocols incorporating BMPs designed to protect and conserve water. The following resources and references will help inform golf course water quality monitoring and management planning; owners and golf course superintendents should further investigate local surface and groundwater regulatory requirements that apply for the golf facility and its location.
Regulatory Considerations
The TCEQ has general jurisdiction and primary responsibility over the state’s water quality program including water quality management planning, issuance of permits for point source discharges, abatement of nonpoint source pollution other than from agricultural and silvicultural sources, and enforcement of water quality rules, standards, orders, and permits. The TCEQ is responsible for establishing the level of quality to be maintained in waters in the state. TCEQ Standards set explicit goals for the quality of streams, rivers, lakes, and bays. The standards were developed to support public health and enjoyment, in addition to the protection of aquatic life and its habitat. In Texas, state surface water quality standards are codified in Title 30, Chapter 307 of the TWC.
According to the TCEQ, the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards are rules designed to:
Establish numerical and narrative goals for water quality throughout the state
Provide a basis on which TCEQ regulatory programs can establish reasonable methods to implement and attain the state’s goals for water quality
The standards are written by the TCEQ under the authority of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Title 2, Chapter 26 of the TWC. All standards are protective to support water quality levels that are adequate to meet designated uses; monitoring determines if water quality levels are not being met.
Four general categories for water use are defined in the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards:
Aquatic life use
Contact recreation
Public water supply
Fish consumption
Some pollutants or conditions that may violate the Aquatic life use standard include low levels of dissolved oxygen, or toxic substances such as metals or pesticides.
The TCEQ regularly monitors the condition of the state’s surface waters and assesses the status of water quality every two years as part of a Watershed Management Approach (WMA). Texas must identify and prepare an assessment of lakes, rivers, streams, and estuaries failing to meet or not expected to meet water quality standards and not supporting designated uses (swimming, drinking,
aquatic life, etc.); this must be sent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This assessment is published as the Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List, per the requirement of the CWA, in addition to Sections 305(b) and 303(d), Title 30 of the TAC. https://www.tceq.texas. gov/waterquality/assessment
The State must then establish a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for waterbodies identified on the 303(d) List. TMDLs are scientifically derived targets that set the greatest amount of a particular substance that can be added to a waterway on a daily basis and still meet water quality standards. An Implementation Plan (I-Plan) is then developed that prescribes the measures needed to mitigate anthropogenic (human-caused) sources of the pollutant to meet the environmental target of the TMDL. The I-Plan can specify limits for point source dischargers (regulatory permits are used most often to control point sources) and recommends BMPs for nonpoint sources. It also lays out a schedule for implementation. TMDLs and I-Plans in Texas are developed by the TCEQ in conjunction with local stakeholders. Both TCEQ and TSSWCB, along with local stakeholders, initiate the development of non-regulatory Watershed Protection Plans (WPPs) to address water quality protection and restore impaired waters. There are 216 local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) which work with local stakeholders to promote stewardship and conservation efforts in support of WPPs. CWA Section 319 grant funds are available from each agency on an annual basis through open solicitations. Education programs alert stakeholders to watershed problems and help involve them in decision-making. These plans and implementation efforts are aligned to EPA Guidelines in support of the CWA.
Additional water quality responsibilities of the TCEQ include:
Acting as lead agency for administering the Section 401 certification program in Texas, with the exception of oil and gas. TCEQ conducts Section 401 certification reviews of projects requiring a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the U.S., including wetlands.
The TCEQ Groundwater Planning and Assessment Team implements programs aimed at the prevention and assessment of groundwater contamination by pesticides. TCEQ monitors groundwater for pesticides and works in coordination with the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee (TGPC).
TPWD is also involved in water quality within the state. The TPWD Aquatic Resources Permitting and Consultation Program promotes conservation of the natural functions and biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems and associated riparian lands of Texas. The team reviews project proposals in the federal and state regulatory and planning processes, fish kill and pollution response, permitting, and outreach. Permitting responsibilities include activities such as introducing fish or aquatic plants into public fresh water, in addition to removal of exotic aquatic vegetation.
TCEQ surface water standards:
https://texaswater.tamu.edu/surface-water/surface-water-quality.html
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/standards/2018-surface-water-quality-standards
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/WA/htm/WA.26.htm
Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/nonpoint-source/mgmt-plan/annual-reports.html
TPWD, SWCDs, and WPPs: https://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/programs/texas-nonpoint-source-management-program/watershed-protection-plan-program
Additional information on TMDLs:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/tmdl
TCEQ Section 401 Certification Reviews:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/401certification
TCEQ Groundwater monitoring for Pesticides:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/groundwater/groundwater-planning-assessment/pesticides.html
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/sfr/070_01.pdf
TPWD Permitting Responsibilities:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/permitting_consultation/index.phtml
Best Management Practices
Aquatic management of plants may be regulated under construction permitting and regulatory licensing requirements. Consult with federal, state, and local water management agencies before managing golf course lakes and wetland areas.
Consult with federal, state, and local water management agencies, and/or consult an approved management plan before performing cultural practices: fertilization; installation of plants; hand removal of plants or mechanical harvesting.
Golf course owners are responsible for adhering to TMDLs, mitigation, and WPPs; determine if waterbodies are identified as impaired and whether or not a TMDL exists; if impaired, additional BMPs may be necessary; consult with an experienced water quality professional regarding TMDL alternative plans.
Wetlands are protected areas; consult with federal, state, and municipal agencies before altering natural aquatic areas.
Constructed wetlands should have an impervious bottom to prevent groundwater contamination.
The disposal of sediments from surface-water ponds (stormwater detention) may be subject to regulation.
The introduction of aquatic triploid grass carp, biological controls, aeration, and chemical controls (herbicide/algaecide) must be approved and monitored according to permit and licensing protocols and compliance.
Studies of water supplies are needed for irrigation systems, including studies of waterbodies or flows on, near, and under the property are needed to properly design a course’s stormwater system and water features to protect water resources.
Site Analysis
It is important to identify and explore the watershed where the golf course is located. It may be found by zip code at: https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/water-education/Watershed%20Viewer
Once the watershed is identified, check with the TCEQ and TSSWCB to see if there is a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) for it:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/waterquality/ nps/watersheds/wbp-listforweb.pdf
https://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/programs/water-quality-management-plan
WPPs are developed by river authorities, cities, or other local government entities; they are non-regulatory. They describe sources of pollution for a segment and define voluntary actions to reduce pollution or restore quality; they can be preventive or remedial. They are developed by TCEQ and TSSWCB in collaboration with regional and local stakeholders. WPPs are reviewed by the TCEQ or TSSWCB and submitted to the EPA for acceptance. If a WPP is in place for the site, determine overall goals and understand concerns to determine actions and tailored BMPs for the facility.
Golf maintenance practices can affect water quality both on and off-site. The site’s physical attributes and location, watershed and groundwater assessments, presence of invasive or weedy species, aesthetics, and other environmental considerations, should all be identified. Trace the property’s local stream to its closest outlet point and then follow it to its final destination - the major river or other waterbody into which it drains. Evaluate the site’s impact and take steps to reduce pollution. To maintain water quality, surface water flows, water quality protection, and aquatic plant management strategies should be designed which address all intended uses of the waterbody.
Additional information:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/gi/gi-351- print.pdf
Best Management Practices
Identify and explore the watershed within which the facility is located; determine if there is an existing WPP, determine overall goals and water quality concerns of the WPP, identify water quality actions for the facility.
Develop a water quality monitoring plan to monitor surface water, groundwater, and pond sediments.
Outline goals and priorities to guide the development of the BMP necessary to support the lake/aquatic management plan.
Identify possible downstream watershed areas that could receive surface water runoff from the property.
Indicate surface water and flow patterns, stormwater flow, as well as existing and potential holding capacity.
Indicate impervious surfaces, such as buildings, parking lots, or pathways; location of all facilities, structures, treatments and measures used for soil erosion and sedimentation control and long-term stormwater management.
Indicate major drainages and catch basins that connect to local surface water bodies.
Accommodate/enhance natural lake processes in the construction of lakes and ponds; include herbaceous and woody vegetation and emergent and submergent shoreline plants to facilitate natural versus conventional erosion control techniques (e.g., riprap) and reduce operational costs where applicable.
Determine groundwater locations in relation to the surface of the course, particularly in any areas that have a seasonally high-water table (<24”) or shallow bedrock (<4’).
Identify and understand depth to bedrock, depth to water tables, and soil types.
Establish source control practices.
Locate and protect wellheads.
Superintendents should monitor designated waters in their area for the persistence of highly toxic herbicides and algaecides in the environment.
Maintain a narrow band of open water at the pond edge to control the expansion of plants into more desirable littoral plantings.
Irrigation should not directly strike or runoff to waterbodies and no-fertilization buffers should be maintained along edges.
Use part-circle sprinklers along perimeters of natural water features to minimize their contact with reclaimed/ fertigation overspray.
Use IPM strategies and native or naturalized vegetation wherever practical.
Through the IPM plan, apply appropriate herbicides to minimize damage to non-target littoral plantings.
Use appropriate aquatic herbicides to avoid turfgrass injury.
If possible, avoid the use of copper or aquatic herbicides; apply copper products to tie-up phosphorus and use shadding compounds to reduce light penetration as per label instructions to reduce the risk of impairing water quality and causing negative biological impacts.
Secondary environmental effects on surface water and groundwater from the chemical control of vegetation should be monitored and recorded.
Manage impacts from waterfowl on waterbodies; monitor for bacteria, in addition to nutrients.
Apply fertilizer and reclaimed (reuse) irrigation/ fertigation appropriately to avoid surface and groundwater contamination.
Water Quality Monitoring & Sampling
Water quality monitoring is used to determine both whether outside events are impacting the water quality entering the golf course, and whether the golf course is having a positive, neutral, or negative effect on water quality. Monitoring also provides a body of evidence on the golf course’s environmental impact. It is important to include monitoring of surface water, groundwater, and pond sediments in a water quality monitoring plan.
A water quality monitoring plan should be implemented in three phases: background, construction, and long-term management. The same sites should be monitored at all stages, including preconstruction phase, although the monitoring plan can be modified based on site-specific conditions. Sampling of all watershed ingress and egress points is important to know what is flowing into the property to identify potential impacts and baseline of water quality data.
Golf course operation and basin-specific parameters of concern (including applicable WPPs and TMDLs) are used to determine sampling parameters. Typically, samples should be analyzed for nutrients, pH and alkalinity, sediments, suspended solids, dissolved oxygen (DO), heavy metals, bacteria, any pesticides expected to be used on the golf course; in addition to any other chemicals identified in TMDLs. The purpose of quality assurance/ quality control (QA/QC) is to ensure that chemical, physical, biological, microbiological, and toxicological data are appropriate and reliable. Data should be collected and analyzed using scientifically sound procedures. It is strongly recommended that a certified laboratory be utilized, and all QA/ QC procedures followed. Consideration must be given to procedures that are simple, cost effective, and technically sound, and that minimize sampling related biases and ensure data integrity.
A single water quality sample is rarely meaningful in isolation, but regular monitoring is useful for establishing trends. Post-construction surface-water quality sampling should begin with the installation and maintenance of golf course turfgrass and landscaping. Samples should be collected a minimum of three times per year. Should there be no discharge on the scheduled sample date, samples should be taken during the next discharge event.
Post-construction surface-water quality sampling should continue through the first three years of operation and during the wet and dry seasons every third year thereafter, provided that all required water quality monitoring has been completed and the development continues to implement all current management plans. It may also be wise to sample if a significant change has been made in course operation or design that could affect nearby water quality.
Seasonally the total dissolved salt concentrations (specific conductance) may become an issue if runoff from streets and highways contains deicing salts. This can potentially become a turfgrass management issue if this saline water is captured and used for irrigation. Golf courses should also sample for macroinvertebrates as determined useful by water quality specialists.
TMDL Information by Segment
Texas has more than 11,000 named water bodies. The TCEQ has divided most of the streams, lakes, wetlands, and estuaries that have large areas or are of major public interest, into segments. A segment is a water body, or portion of a water body. Segments are aggregated by basin. Texas has 23 major river and coastal basins. Contact for information on the TMDL Program: tmdl@tceq.texas.gov
TMDLs are indicated by segment as indicated on the following references:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/tmdl/nav/tmdlsegments
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/tmdl/nav/tmdlsimplemented
Reference additional information:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/comm_exec/pubs/gi/gi-351-print.pdf
Texas 303(d) List (Category 5)
Best Management Practices
Seek professional assistance from an environmental specialist to design an appropriate water sample collection strategy (i.e., sample water quality four to six times per year including field and lab analyses.)
Use reputable equipment and qualified technicians to determine sites to be analyzed.
Define data values appropriately based on the associated BMP used to protect water quality.
Record observations of fish, wildlife, and general pond conditions.
Generally accepted DO thresholds below which fish are stressed (3-4 ppm) or die (2 ppm) can be used as guides to implement mitigation strategies (e.g., artificial aeration). Reduce stress on fish by keeping DO levels of property ponds above 4 ppm, measured in early morning hours (between dawn and 8 am). Critical DO levels often happen at night when algae aren’t photosynthesizing, a morning measurement is more indicative of whether or not there are problems.
Manipulate water levels to prevent low levels that result in warmer temperatures and lowered DO levels. Aerate shallow lakes less than 6 feet in depth to maintain acceptable DO levels. Aeration of deep lakes is also beneficial to mix stratified layers of water of differing temperatures.
Where applicable, aerate at night to control oxygen depletion in any pond.
Install desirable native plants to naturally buffer DO loss and fluctuation.
Maintain a buffer of at least 10 feet of healthy, unmowed vegetation along water edges to slow and filter overland flow to waterbodies.
Locate littoral shelves at the pond’s inlets and outlets to reduce problems with the playability and maintainability of a water hazard.
Mow lake and pond collars at 2 inches or higher to slow and filter overland flow to water bodies.
Avoid the use of trimmers along the edge of the water body
Use IPM principles to limit excess use of pesticides; use a deflector shield to prevent fertilizer and pesticide spills from contacting surface waters.
Apply algaecides to small areas to prevent fish mortality; do not treat the entire pond at once. Select algaecides containing hydrogen peroxide instead of copper or endothall to treat high populations of phytoplankton.
Aeration and dyes have been used to maintain appropriate light and DO levels.
Dredge excess sediments from ponds in accordance with approved plan to reduce irrigation system failures and protect beneficial organisms that contribute to the food web and overall lake health. Treat dredged materials as a toxic substance. Avoid contact with turfgrass and dispose according to approved plan.
Texas Accredited Water Quality Testing Labs
Reference the following link for laboratories accredited by the State of Texas under the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP). For a comprehensive list of certified analytes and methods for each laboratory, click on the “Fields of Accreditation” link at the right of the lab’s information entry, contact the individual laboratory, or call the TCEQ at labprgms@tceq.texas.gov.
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/ compliance/compliance_support/qa/txnelap_lab_list.pdf
TWDB Groundwater Monitoring and Testing
The TWDB conducts a monitoring program for wells in the state’s designated major and minor aquifers once every four years, particularly at wells previously sampled, when possible, to evaluate changes in water quality. The TWDB seeks voluntary participation in the program for identified aquifers.
Additional information:
https://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/data/index.asp
https://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/data/doc/Well_Water_Testing.pdf
Reference the Planning, Design, and Construction and Surface Water Management for stormwater BMPs and aquatic plant management; reference IPM for pest management BMPs.
Buffer Zones
Golf course stormwater management should include “natural systems engineering” or “soft engineering” approaches that maximize the use of natural systems to treat water. Buffers around the shore of a waterbody or other sensitive areas filter and purify runoff as it passes across the buffer. Ideally, plant buffers with native species provide a triple play of water quality benefits, pleasing aesthetics, and habitat/food sources for wildlife. Continue these plantings into the water to provide emergent vegetation for aquatic life, even if the pond is not used for stormwater treatment. Where possible, allow plants such as arrowhead or pickerelweed to inhabit littoral zones to improve water quality. Effective BMPs filter and trap sediment, incorporate site-specific natural/organic fertilization, and place limits on pesticide use, primarily focusing on the control of invasive species.
Golf Course Buffer Zones Diagram
Source: Oklahoma Golf Industry BMP Guide, 2020
Littoral Zone Diagram
Source: https://www.pinellascounty.org/environment/watershed/pdf/adoptapond/Florida_Lakes_and_Ponds_Guidebook.pdf
Best Management Practices
Maintain a riparian buffer to filter nutrients in stormwater runoff. A riparian buffer, for the purposes of this document, is a riparian zone that is managed in a vegetated condition in order to achieve water quality protection or improvement. Riparian buffer areas are above the high-water mark and should be unfertilized and left in a natural state.
Buffer areas of adequate size and vegetative height should be maintained along all water edges. Buffer widths should be a minimum of 5 feet but as wide as possible without impacting course difficulty, course design, or pace of play. These areas are critical in filtering overland runoff and reducing any pollutants it contains. Fertilizers and other chemicals should not be applied in these areas.
Use turfgrass and native plantings to enhance buffer areas, provide pleasing aesthetics, habitat, and food sources for wildlife.
Encourage clumps of native emergent vegetation at the shoreline; establish special management zones around pond edges.
Institute buffers and special management zones up gradient of riparian buffers to protect waterbodies.
All or most of the out-of-play waterbodies should also have shoreline buffers planted with native or well-adapted noninvasive vegetation to provide food and shelter for wildlife.
Construct random small dips and ridges of a few inches to a foot to promote diversity within the plant community and provide a healthier and more productive littoral zone.
Increase height of cut in the riparian zone to filter and buffer nutrient movement to the water.
Reduce the frequency of mowing at the lake edge and collect or direct clippings to upland areas where runoff and wind will not carry them back to the lake.
An appropriate-sized buffer (steeper slope requires greater buffer width) of turfgrass mowed at a higher height of cut and minimally fertilized with enhanced-efficiency fertilizers can provide an effective buffer.
Mow buffers on in-play areas in riparian areas to heights up to 4 inches. Mow in the direction that allows the mower discharge chute to direct clippings away from riparian areas.
Apply fertilizer and pesticides based on the effective swath; keep application on target and away from buffers or channel swales. As a general practice, keep all chemical applications 10 to 15 feet away from the water’s edge when using rotary spreaders and/or boom sprayer applications.
Wetland Protection
Texas is a large, ecologically diverse state containing millions of acres of different types of wetlands. Wetlands are the transitional zones between uplands and deep water -- they are areas that are dependent on the presence of water for all or part of the time, at or above the surface, or within the root zone. Wetland soils include soil characteristics that differ from surrounding uplands and vegetation containing plants that have adapted to the presence of water; wetlands generally lack plants that are intolerant of wet conditions. In Texas, most wetlands are categorized as: deep-water swamps, freshwater marsh, playa lakes, riparian wetlands, and saline and brackish marsh. Wetlands are recognized for their role as nurseries for many species and as filters for removal of pollutants, helping to purify surface waters. The biological activity of plants, fish, animals, insects, and especially bacteria and fungi in a healthy, diverse wetland is the recycling factory of our ecosystem.
When incorporated into a golf course design, wetlands should be maintained as preserves and separated from managed turfgrass areas with native vegetation or structural buffers. Constructed or disturbed wetlands may be permitted to be an integral part of the stormwater management system. Manmade buffers should be designed to improve habitat diversity and include a mixture of fast and slow-growing native trees, shrubs, or grasses to provide a diverse habitat for wildlife.
Wetlands are protected ecosystems regulated by the US Army Corps of Engineer (USACE), as outlined in section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Activities such as filling for commercial development require a permit review process, administered by the USACE, to ensure no discharge of dredged or fill material significantly degrades the protected wetland area or to determine if a practicable alternative exists that is less damaging to the aquatic environment. Certification reviews of USACE Section 404 permit applications are conducted by the TCEQ.
Best Management Practices
• Establish, maintain, or restore wetlands where water enters lakes to slow water flow and trap sediments.
• Maintain appropriate silt fencing and BMPs on projects upstream to prevent erosion and sedimentation.
• Natural waters cannot be considered treatment systems and must be protected. (Natural waters do not include treatment wetlands.)
• Establish a low- to no-maintenance level within a 75- foot buffer along natural wetlands.
• Establish and maintain a 100-foot riparian buffer around wetlands, springs, and spring runs.
• Do not fertilize riparian buffer areas above the high-water mark. Leave them in a natural state.
Additional information about Texas wetlands:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/habitats/wetland/
https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/habitats/wetland/ecology/texas_wetlands.phtml
TCEQ Section 401 Certification Reviews:
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/401certification
https://www.epa.gov/wqs-tech/water-quality-standards-regulations-texas
Sediment
During construction and/or renovation, temporary barriers and traps (i.e., silt fencing) must be used to prevent sediments from being washed off-site into water bodies. Wherever possible, keep a vegetative cover on the site until it is actually ready for construction, and then plant, sod, or otherwise cover it as soon as possible to prevent erosion.
Best Management Practices
Have silt fences, sandbags, hay bales or other suitable soil entrapment barriers in place at all times during construction to prevent soil and other runoff contaminant movement from unexpected rainstorms. Utilize erosion and sediment control BMPs such as wattles (logs), straw, or erosion matting as appropriate.
Coordinate construction/renovation activities and plan in phases to minimize the amount of disturbed area and possible risk of contamination via runoff.
When constructing drainage systems, pay close attention to engineering details such as subsoil preparation, the placement of gravel, slopes, and backfilling.
Internal golf course drains should not drain directly into an open waterbody. The drains should discharge through pretreatment zones and/or vegetative buffers to help remove nutrients and sediments.
Use shoreline grasses and/or other vegetation to prevent bank erosion.
Use dry detention basins/catchments to buffer flooding and excessive runoff that may contain sediment.
Maintain a vegetative cover on construction sites until it the site is ready for construction.
Control cart traffic to avoid highly erodible areas.
Use the TCEQ erosion control BMPs to guide sediment management: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/permitting/waterquality/attachments/401certification/erosion.pdf
Sodic/Saline Conditions
Natural water contains soluble salts; however, the amount and types of salts they contain vary greatly. Reclaimed water has the potential to contain higher soluble salt concentrations than other water sources.
Pumping wells at high rates or for prolonged periods of time can degrade irrigation water. “Up-coning” can sometimes occur from pumping, which draws saline water, rather than freshwater, into the well. Typically, saline water is unsuitable for irrigation because of its high content of total dissolved solid (TDS). Saltwater intrusion from groundwater pumping near coastal areas can create a problem with some irrigation wells.
Best Management Practices
Use surface water to mix (blend) affected groundwater to lower the total salt concentration.
Routinely monitor water quality to ensure that salt (TDS) concentrations are at acceptable levels.
Base management plan on routine soil tests to determine sodium adsorption ration (SAR), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), electrical conductivity saturated paste method/unit (ECe), and free calcium carbonate content. http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/
Request water quality data from the reclaimed water provider to determine salt concentrations.
Consider fertilizer that uses soluble nitrogen forms with a relatively low concentration of salts if frequent applications are necessary.
Consider a controlled-release fertilizer to reduce salt injury.
Identify salt additions and saline sources that contribute to the total salt concentration.
Select alternative turfgrass and landscape plants that are more salt-tolerant.
Reduce salt accumulations by flushing soils as needed. Initiate the process with the irrigation source that is more saline and complete the process with a higher-quality water source.
Design irrigation systems to account for flushing of salt accumulation from soil.
Amend soil and water to lower the ESP/SAR of sodic areas.
Evaluate BMP to determine effectiveness toward managing sodic/saline conditions.
Reference Planning, Design, and Construction; Surface and Stormwater Management; and Irrigation BMP Sections for additional information.
