Issue
The Village Greens Golf Course is an 18-hole, 3,244-yard public golf course that was developed in the 1950s. The golf course’s stormwater infrastructure was unable to handle runoff from the 47-acre golf course and an adjacent 30 acres of homes and roadways that drain through the property. The absence of effective stormwater control had a negative impact on playing conditions. The golf course needed a system that could effectively control and filter stormwater.
Action
Kitsap County Surface and Stormwater Management (SSWM) and the Parks Department decided to build a natural stormwater treatment system to improve stormwater management. The old stormwater pipes were removed and a series of interconnected swales and ponds were built to gather and control runoff. Turfgrasses and other vegetation were planted in the swales to filter and clean the water as it flows through the golf course. The components of the new stormwater management system would also act as interesting hazards on the golf course.
Results
The stormwater management system has helped control and filter runoff from the golf course and surrounding community. It has improved drainage on the golf course and has reduced the amount of runoff leaving the property, reducing downstream flooding during storm events. The retention ponds and bioswales also clean runoff as it flows through the golf course. Water that leaves the golf course is cleaner than when it entered.
The stormwater management system has also improved the golf experience. Addressing the drainage issues improved playing conditions and the retention ponds and bioswales provide small, but interesting hazards on several holes. According to Superintendent Brian Hauschel, “We needed to do something about the golf course’s drainage problems, and SSWM came up with a cost-effective solution. This stormwater management project is a benefit to the surrounding community and to our golfers.”
Additional Resources