Environmental Hole in One

Aspen Golf Course Gets Greener

By Mitzi Rapkin, 5-30-06

A $3.4 million project to replace the Aspen Golf Club's irrigation system and build new landscaping is geared at making the course more environmentally friendly and visually appealing the Aspen Times is reporting.

The replacement began in fall 2005 and is currently ahead of its projected August completion date. The project, funded by open space bonds, is expected to save between 55 and 60 million gallons of water each year.

"One of the great things about this project is that we're not closing the golf course to do it," said Steve Aitken, director of golf. "As you play golf, it's just tertiary impacts."

The new system uses water from Aspen's water treatment plant instead of from a local creek, which preserves the fresh water source in the creek, and nutrients in the effluent water also reduce the need for fertilizer on the course.

The new sprinkler system alone will save 15 million gallons of water per year. With the old system, all areas of the course received the same amount of water. The new system allows each sprinkler head to be controlled independently, allowing different areas to receive the appropriate amount of water. There is also a weather station that monitors rainfall, humidity, wind speed and solar energy to determine precisely how much watering is needed.

It is the biggest environmental project the City of Aspen has ever embarked upon. It’s green work and keeps the golf course green!

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