Table 1.

Within the past 10 years, several pesticide, fertilizer and water restrictions have been placed on turfgrass managers. As a result, many in the industry are looking at alternative construction ideas to help superintendents meet those restrictions without placing an undue burden on them.

My company has devised the Pennfield system, a construction method based on the concepts of reduced water use, increased use of recycled natural resources and reduced pesticide inputs. The company has research in the works and hopes to report the full results soon - but the initial feedback has been potentially promising.

Actions in Maryland resulting from a scare over pesticide and chemical runoff into the Chesapeake Bay sparked my interest in developing such a system. I was also intrigued when Maryland Governor Paris Glendening had some pointed comments directed at the golf course and other turf industries, specifically in the area of environmentally sensitive use of fertilizers on large turfed areas such as golf courses. Understanding that superintendents were doing the best they could with current construction methods, I wondered whether there might be a better way. This was the impetus for study of the Pennfield System.

Strides being made There is an effort in the irrigation industry to develop new technologies to reduce water use, and many companies have made great strides in this direction. With the onset of drought conditions showing up across much of the United States, this has become a major priority.

The small diameter pipes combine the subsurface irrigation and air delivery components of the Pennfield system. The white, flat pipes provide drainage and help recycle water from rainfall and irrigation cycles.

In some areas, drip irrigation systems can reduce water use by half. In fact, research done by Bernd Leinauer revealed water use on subsurface-irrigated research plots was shown to be 90 percent to 95 percent less than on sprinkler-irrigated plots.

These subsurface-irrigated plots also had root masses greater at lower depths than those irrigated with conventional sprinkler systems.

If these systems could be used on golf courses, they could make a great contribution to water savings. In addition, use of composted manures and watering systems that can introduce water below the surface and keep the soil surface and turf thatch layers less hydrated could help in the reduction of disease and reduce the use of pesticides. That's why my company decided to build on the existing success of subsurface irrigation systems in the creation of the our new system.

What is the the Pennfield system? The Pennfield system is a field construction method that uses the concepts set up by the Purr-Wick System developed in 1966. It combines older and newer technology developed in recent years. The components of the system are:

• A pond liner to allow water to be collected from irrigation runs or ambient rainfall. The liner is a low-volume polyethylene product that is lightweight and durable.
• A subsurface irrigation and a subsurface aeration delivery systems (in this case provided by Precision Porous Pipe, a division of Colorite Plastics), including a regenerative blower used to force air through the soil profile.
• A flat pipe drainage system (donated by Advanced Drainage Systems) that is used not only to drain the soil but also as the main component in recycling water resources.
• A micro-injection unit to inject pesticides, fertilizers and soil amendments at precise rates, and a recycling pump unit to help recycle water from collection tanks back to the field or green (donated by Moyer & Sons).
• A soil mixture developed for the Pennfield System which contains 85 percent sand (USGA specifications), 12 percent Canadian sphagnum peat, and 3 percent aerobically composted turkey manure.
• A moisture monitoring and valve control system (provided by Adcon Telemetry) and the software to completely run the guts of the Pennfield system.
• A conventional part of the irrigation system that will be used to supplement the subsurface system during the most stressful times during the year if needed and to help in the cooling process through syringing and the watering-in process for topically applied fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals.