Standing water can cause turf decline at any time of the year. In summer, standing water can heat up and essentially boil or suffocate plants. In winter, rather than scalding grass, water can freeze over the grass. Large areas of standing water can freeze quickly and stay that way for long periods of time during winter. If the turf stays covered by ice for too long, winter injury is possible.
There are several factors that lead to winter injury, it is a complex issue and its causes can sometimes be perplexing. However, we know that ice encasement is one way to bring on winter injury. If you have standing water on the course during winter, especially on putting greens or fairways, improving surface drainage will help reduce the risk of turf damage.
Rain at this time of year is going to sit longer on the surface for several reasons. There could be a slight frost layer just below the surface, which will impede water infiltration. Grass also doesn’t have the same water requirements in winter as in the summer, so absorption by the plant is slow, if it occurs at all. Shorter days and cooler temperatures also mean slower evaporation.
Internal drain lines are helpful, but when the ground freezes water can’t get to the drainage. In this scenario, good surface drainage is the only way to move water off of the playing surfaces and into the rough or other areas where damage is less likely to occur and will have less effect on playability.
If standing water plagues your course and is often an area of frustration, winter is a good time to work on some of the pockets to get a jump-start on the next season. Focus on high-profile areas like greens and fairways first and move out from there.
Northeast Region Agronomists
Darin Bevard, senior director, Championship Agronomy – dbevard@usga.org
Elliott L. Dowling, regional director, East Region – edowling@usga.org
Brian Gietka, agronomist – bgietka@usga.org