Hope in one hand....

While the golf course was inundated with rain water, we were in the process of completing another round of testing on our new well.  Unfortunately, the results are not what we were hoping for.  While every inch of the golf course was covered with water we didn't want, the water we did want directly beneath the surface was nowhere to be found.

The final results show that the well can sustain around 180 gallons per minute.  Our goal was 350-500 in order to prove sufficient groundwater to directly supply our sprinkler system without the use of a retention pond.  180 gallons would be sufficient to fill a pond (albeit slowly) but as we all know, the undertaking of pond construction is a much more complicated discussion.

There are two things to consider that keep my glass half-full.  First, the results do help us learn more about what our water supply is.  While the least expensive "option A" (digging two wells and directly supplying our lines) may be sliding off the table, we now have a better sense of what direction we need to take.  The goal of the well was to test our aquifer and see what we had.  The "hope" of the well was we had enough water to just hook it into our pipes and get on with life and go build bunkers.  Our hopes are somewhat dashed, but we now know which direction to head and we can set new goals.  Myself, the long-range planning committee, and the board are determined to make a path forward to correct our water issue.

The second thing that keeps my glass half-full is that the drawing board still has some ideas left on it.  There are some technologies available and some other options that may help us find the amount of water we need.  We will continue working to exhaust every option to find the water we want at a reasonable cost.  I haven't given up hope just yet for the "no pond" option.  Stay tuned.  I hope to know more in the next week or two.

If the water just isn't under our feet and the "no pond" option doesn't pan out, at least we will know for sure that the only real correction of our water issue will be a retention pond.  This is not a bad thing in terms of the function of the course, but it will be more costly and require a great deal more planning both logistically and financially.  Until we fix it, I will always believe that the best thing we can do to secure the future of this club (and my ability to maintain it) is get a new, clean, plentiful water source.  

Have a great 4th of July.