Watering of City Parks, Sports Fields, Santa Fe Golf Course, and Fairmount Cemetery

Shane Kelton, Operations DirectorRoger D. Havlak, Parks Superintendent

City of San Angelo

Watering Frequency/Scheduling

Purpose• The purpose of this presentation is to discuss possible

options for water budget rates and receive direction from City Council on irrigation practices of turf/trees for City maintained parks/sports fields, Santa Fe Golf Course, and Fairmount Cemetery as we move towards and into Drought Level III of our current ordinance.

Watering Frequency/Scheduling

Areas for Discussion1. Texas Bank Sports Complex2. San Angelo Soccer Association3. Class AA and A park sites (newly renovated or

constructed, highly visible, and most utilized parks)• i.e. Visitor’s Center, Kid’s Kingdom, Kirby Park, etc.

4. Other park sites (Class B thru E sites)• i.e. Bell Park, Brown Park, Harmon Park, etc.

5. Santa Fe Golf Course6. Fairmount Cemetery

Topics for Discussion1. Water budget funding deficits

• Inadequate funding for consistent irrigation to minimize impacts on turf/trees

• Option to waive or lessen water fees for City-owned open space or dedicated parks and sports fields

2. Specific locations to irrigate and related water/maintenance costs

3. Funds for increasing drip or traditional irrigation systems• Irrigation parts• Labor for installation• Future maintenance costs• Labor and equipment costs for future maintenance

Current StatusParks Department maintains a total of 555 acres.

• 292 acres (parks and sports fields) have irrigation systems

• 194 acres of parks• 98 acres of sports fields

• 173 acres are currently being irrigated• i.e. Highly visible, most utilized, newly

renovated/constructed sites

Watering Frequency/SchedulingCurrent Water Budget Issues

Division # of Irrigated

Acres

Current Water

Budget

Budget Needed for 38” of Irrigation

($4.20/1,000 gallons)

Budget Needed for 28” of Irrigation

($4.20/1,000 gallons)

Parks 194 $207,948 $840,000 $620,000

Texas Bank Sports Complex

55 $40,965 $238,000 $176,000

Fairmount Cemetery

57 $15,115 $247,000 $182,000

Santa Fe Golf Course

36 N/A $156,000 $115,000

Watering Frequency/SchedulingWater Rate Options

Division # of Irrigated

Acres

Current Water

Budget

Budget Needed for 38” of Irrigation

($1.04/1,000 gallons)

Budget Needed for 28” of Irrigation

($1.41/1,000 gallons)

Parks 194 $207,948 $207,948 $207,948

Texas Bank Sports Complex

55 $40,965 $59,000 $59,000

Fairmount Cemetery

57 $15,115 $61,000 $61,000

Santa Fe Golf Course

36 N/A $39,000 $39,000

Parks and Sports Field Site RatingsClass AA Class A Class B Class C Class D Class E

TBSC*Kid’s Kingdom* City Park*Visitor Center*Paseo Ext.*Old Town*Municipal PoolKirby*Producers*Meadowcreek*Jaime PadronCity HallSanta FeSanta Fe EastBart De WittSASA/La Liga*Lakeview NorthernWestern

Unidad*MLK*Civic League*El Paseo*Sunken Gardens Rio Concho A/BGlenmore*Golf Course*

BellBrentwoodBrownHarmonMountainview Rio Concho CSanta Rita South Concho East Webster Santa Fe CrossingRio Vista South

Carl Ray Johnson North River drive Rio Concho DSulfur DrawHealth Found. Trail

Ave N and Campus Churchill Blvd. Espl. Glenmore Circle Harris Esplanade Harrison/Webster Van Buren/Harrison Live Oak TriangleOxford Triangle Pruesser Espl.Twohig/David Espl.US Hwy 87 South*US Hwy 87 North*Classen Triangle Parkways Espl. Angelo Blvd Espl. Panels-North 40Police AnnexPaseo De VacaWool Monument*East 29th ComplexBen Ficklin

Spencer Outlook Lakeview KiwanisPurkeyPete ChapaNorth ConchoPark Heights El Paseo RR Post Office property Bird Triangle Christoval Rd.South Concho West Santa Fe Depot

Blue = Irrigation Systems (Minor repairs needed)Red = Irrigation Systems (Major repairs needed--$70,000)Black = No Irrigation SystemOrange = Allocated funds approved for valves/fittings, etc.Green = Irrigation System (Repairs needed--$60,000 to $75,000)* Sites currently being irrigated

Watering Frequency/Scheduling

Current Tree Assessment

Location Total Trees

Stressed Trees

Dead Trees

Parks/Sports Fields 3,438 398(12%)

84(2%)

Santa Fe Golf Course 352 34(10%)

4(1%)

Fairmount Cemetery 1,576 88(6%)

42(3%)

Staff Recommendations

Parks•Continue to irrigate highly utilized Class AA and A sites as-needed to maintain turf and tree health throughout the fall and winter seasons•Only irrigate other sites with irrigation systems on an as-needed basis that have minimal repairs needed (i.e. Harmon Park along the river)•Continue to utilize 1,000 gallon tanks to water trees in parks and City-maintained properties on an as-needed basis (i.e. Sunken Gardens, North River Drive, etc.)

Staff Recommendations(Parks continued)•Set up quick-couplers or add zones to existing systems as current budget funds and labor/time allows (i.e. Rio Concho Section A&B)•Utilize existing underground irrigation systems (MP Rotor heads) that were recently installed along the river from Concho Street to 1st Street on an as-needed basis to maintain tree health

Fairmount Cemetery• Allow Fairmount Cemetery staff to irrigate with their existing underground and drip systems on an as-needed basis to maintain tree health

Staff RecommendationsSanta Fe Golf Course—S. Abe Street to Beauregard Street• Utilize existing system to irrigate from public restroom to S. Abe Street (4 acres)

o 20 applications with 1” of water = 2.2 million gallons @ $1.04/1,000 gallons= $2,300• Add additional valves/zones to existing irrigation system to water trees between

public restroom and Beauregard Street (4 acres)o Utilize MP Rotor heads for more efficient water useo Project finger-like streams with minimal mistingo Only placed at specific locations to irrigate trees when under stresso Parts, labor, and installation costs = $300 to $500 per MP Rotor heado Staff estimates 30 heads needed = $9,000 to $15,000o Estimated water costs/year @ $1.04/1,000 gallons = $957

o 20 applications with 1” of water = 920,000 gallonso Initial stress on trees from ditching during and immediately following

installation of systems---recommend 45 to 60 days of irrigation to offset stress on trees

• Reimburse Two Pro for water used on trees for both locations• Need direction from Council on other sites throughout the golf course (16 acres)

o Two Pro only watering greens, tees, and approaches

Santa Fe Golf Course

MP Rotor Irrigation Head

Staff RecommendationsWater Budget Deficits•Decrease total water fees to $1.04 per 1,000 gallons for Parks Division, Texas Bank Sports Complex, and Fairmount Cemetery•Allocate the following budget amounts for FY 2013-2014

o Parks Division $207,948o Texas Bank Sports Complex $59,000o Fairmount Cemetery $61,000o Santa Fe Golf Course $15,000 (Parts/labor)

$3,257 (Water)

Staff RecommendationsPossible Sources for Funding•Texas Bank Sports Complex

• HOT Funds• Increase the One-half Cent Sales Tax

funds•Fairmount Cemetery

• Increase from General Fund •Santa Fe Golf Course

• Contingency funds from Concho River Project—Parts/labor

• Utilize $10,000 currently allocated for water ($2,500 per quarter)—Water

Staff Recommendations

Future Irrigation Issues• Reevaluate how to address irrigation issues going into the next

fiscal budgeting cycle and/or Drought Level III