Good Response to GVRD Golf Course Water Use Survey

For immediate release
June 10, 2016
Allied Golf Association of British Columbia

31% of golf courses within the Metro-Vancouver area have responded to an important water use survey.  Facilitated by the Western Canada Turfgrass Association on behalf of the Allied Golf Association of BC, the survey’s purpose is to solicit, compile and present industry metrics as per Metro-Vancouver Water Authority’s request to provide potable water use data by golf courses in the region.

The Water Shortage Response Plan (WSRP) outlines outdoor watering restrictions such as lawn watering, car washing, pressure washing and golf course irrigation.  Dry conditions in 2015 forced a move to Stage 3 restrictions, eliminating all residential lawn and garden watering and restricting golf course irrigation to greens and tees only.

Strains to the municipal potable system in 2015 prompted the Authority to amend the WSRP, which came into effect automatically May 15 this year, a full 2 weeks earlier than previously.  GVRD is currently consulting with all major water users in preparation for further revisions to the plan in an effort to conserve water during the summer months.  Turf, in all sectors including lawns, parks, sportsfields and golf courses, is generally seen as a high water consumer by the GVRD and specific restrictions for golf course irrigation are included in the plan. 

In an email circulated to all 67 area golf courses, AGA-BC President Trevor Smith warned, “In order to successfully lobby the GVRD, the golf industry needs a complete picture of golf course irrigation practices in the region.  If the industry is not part of the consultation process, there is little chance of having any effect on the regulation and is why we require every golf course’s participation in this important study.”

Two municipalities within the GVRD are ‘grandfathered’ whereby golf courses are allowed to manage their water use based on volume rather than by arbitrary restrictions.  The lobby efforts by the California Golf Industry focussed on management versus arbitrary restrictions and as an industry, were able to conserve more water than was being requested by the California State Government. 

GVRD says the grass will come back. This photo of a Metro-Van area golf course fairway from August 2015 indicates otherwise. Image credit Jason Hooper

AGA-BC presented a similar argument to Metro-Vancouver regulators in December 2015 but have not been successful in having the WSRP amended.  The golf industry is now being asked to work with the GVRD by providing golf industry irrigation metrics.

Smith added, “The GVRD will source any information they require from individual facilities or worse, generalized assumptions will be made based on high level data.  This is an excellent opportunity to work cooperatively, both as an industry and with government, to provide accurate, consolidated information that will help us advocate for outcome based policy, ie. managing total water volume, versus arbitrary restrictive regulations, ie. watering greens and tees only.”