At a golf course in Colorado’s high desert, drought is changing where every gallon goes.
John Atencio, head golf professional at Cattails Golf Course in Alamosa, says the old back-nine irrigation system was more than 40 years old, leaking badly, and forcing maintenance crews to spend much of their time simply keeping it operational.
The replacement system gives staff far more control. During severe drought, they can reduce irrigation on roughs and areas outside normal play while directing limited water to fairways, tees, and greens.
That precision is part of a $1.3 million overhaul that replaced more than 10,000 feet of leaking pipe. The project eliminated an estimated 18 percent system water loss and is expected to save roughly 12 to 18 acre-feet annually.
A $500,000 Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant helped Alamosa close the funding gap. WaterNow worked with the city through its Grant Help Desk to pursue the federal funding.
The result is not simply a greener golf course. It is a public irrigation system that can respond to drought by putting scarce Rio Grande water where it delivers the most value—and avoiding water loss before it ever reaches the grass.
Episode at waterloop.org and wherever you listen to podcasts.
Resilience In The Rockies is a waterloop series produced in collaboration with WaterNow and made possible in part by a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and support from PCL Construction, Norris Design, Merrick, and the City of Greeley.
#golfcourse #irrigation #waterconservation #colorado #watermanagement
