At the Industry Hills Golf Courses, a chlorinated polyethylene liner was installedbeneath a methane-affected green to prevent gas migration into the root zone.

What Can You Do IfYour Golf Course Has Gas?by PATRICK J. GROSSAgronomist, Western Region, USGA Green Section

If IS NOT UNCOMMON for super-intendents to get indigestion from theeveryday rigors of the job. But for the

purpose of this article, we are going todiscuss a different type of gas - the gasproduced by sanitary landfills. Most turfmanagers are highly trained to deal withabove-ground turf stress caused by weather,pests, and traffic, but a small but growingnumber of superintendents are having to facenew and different challenges: how to main-

tain golf courses built on landfill sites anddeal with the effects of landfill gas andother problems.

Landfill Sites as Golf Courses

As the popularity of golf continues togrow throughout the world, there is an ever-increasing need to build more golf courses,especially public golf courses. As landresources are becoming more scarce, it isdifficult to find prime land for course con-

struction. Many cities, counties, and devel-opers are looking at the feasibility of buildinggolf courses on previous landfill sites. It isestimated that more than 60 golf courses inthe United States have been built on landfillsites. Japan has been a leader in this areadue to the popularity of golf and the limitedavailability of land resources in that country.

From an environmental and economicstandpoint, landfills and golf courses are agood match. Golf courses are one of the few

JULY/ AUGUST 1994

legal land uses for landfill sites. Golf coursescan recycle a previously unusable site andprovide a greenbelt and recreational oppor-tunities for the surrounding community.Furthermore, golf courses provide valuablehabitat for birds and wild animals in urbansettings. A landfill golf course can have apositive economic impact, too, by creatingjobs and tax revenue for the community.

Landfill sites also produce large quantitiesof methane gas as a byproduct of solid wastedecomposition. Considered a nuisance by-product in the past, methane gas can becaptured and used as a valuable energysource for heating, air conditioning, andother purposes. For example, MountaingateCountry Club in Los Angeles, California,processes 5 million cubic feet of methane gasper day. This gas is transported to nearbyUCLA through a 5.5-mile pipeline and isused in the university's central steam boiler.It is estimated that energy costs at the UCLAcampus have been lowered by $250,000annually through the use of landfill gas.Another example in Southern California isthe Industry Hills Conference Center andSheraton Resort. Although only a portion ofthe 600-acre site is on a landfill, enoughmethane gas is produced to supplement theenergy needs of the hotel and conferencecenter as well as heat the two olympic-sizeswimming pools on the premises.

One of the benefits of a landfill site tothe golf course owner or developer is thelower initial investment to purchase theland, although this saving often is offset bythe higher cost of construction and the agro-nomic challenges associated with long-termmaintenance. Developers wishing to pur-chase landfill sites also should be aware offuture liabilities for containment of leachate(liquid waste produced by the landfill) or anyremedial work necessary on the site.

Agronomic ChallengesBuilding and maintaining a golf course on

a landfill site is no easy task. If the golfcourse is to provide quality playing condi-tions on a long-term basis, several construc-tion and maintenance considerations mustbe addressed.

Landfill Gas - Various gases are pro-duced when solid waste is decomposed byanaerobic bacteria. Landfill gas is comprisedof approximately 50% methane (CH4), 50%carbon dioxide (C02), and trace amounts ofhydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2). Gas pro-duction can fluctuate throughout the yeardepending on the composition of the solidwaste and the amount of moisture in thelandfill cavity. Soil temperature has little todo with gas production, but soil temperaturedoes affect methane oxidation at the soilsurface. These gases must be collected orvented to prevent the buildup of pressurebelow ground. If the gases are not adequately

2 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD

(Above) Methane, alarge component oflandfill gas, can becaptured and used

as a valuableenergy source. Thisprocessing plant at

MountaingateCountlY Club in LosAngeles processesmethane for use atthe nearby UCLA

campus.

(Right) Soil settlingoccurs as the solid

waste is decomposedwithin the landfillcavity. This is dis-

ruptive to golfers andcauses severe prob-lems with routine

maintenanceactivities.

diverted, problems with plant growth canoccur. The methane and carbon dioxidemigrate to the surface and displace oxygenin the root zone. This leads to anaerobic soilconditions. Symptoms on turfgrass, trees,and shrubs include slow growth, stunting,limited root development, discoloration,defoliation, and, in severe cases, necrosis.

Ground Shifting and Settling - Land-fills are capped with several feet of soil tocover and encapsulate the solid waste. Asthe solid waste decomposes, the soil captends to settle, causing cracks, shear lines,and contour changes. The uneven surface candamage equipment, disrupt mowing opera-tions, and detract from the playability of the

Growing healthy trees and shrubs can be a challenge on a landfill site due to theeffects of landfill gas and poor-quality soil often used to cover the waste.

golf course. This can be a problem in anyarea of the golf course, but it is most dis-ruptive on putting greens. Engineers havedeveloped methods to predict settling basedon the composition of the solid waste, airspace, and the fill method. Generally, the fillarea can be expected to settle approximately10% over time. Unfortunately, the degree andrate of settling cannot be accurately predictedin a specific area such as a green site.

Drainage - As surface contours change,drainage pathways are disrupted. Broken orcrushed drain lines restrict the rapid removalof excess water, creating wet conditions orareas of standing water. This is particularlytroublesome on putting greens. Due to stateand local regulations, many courses are re-quired to capture all drainage water andreuse it on their site. It is unacceptable tosimply dig a dry well to collect drainagewater, since this could possibly filter into thesolid waste and produce harmful leachate.

Irrigation - Frequent breaks in irriga-tion mainlines, laterals, and wiring are otherchallenges associated with soil settling. Thiscan have a devastating impact on turf quality,causing drought stress and turf loss in theaffected areas.

Soil Quality - Unfortunately, the soilused to cap the landfill is not always wellsuited for plant growth. Generally, soil is re-moved from nearby areas or hillsides to cover

the solid waste. Engineers prefer a heavyclay soil as a cap material. Needless to say,this type of soil poses several agronomicchallenges for golf course superintendentsdue to poor drainage characteristics andpotential compaction problems.

Fire - Methane gas can be explosiveunder certain conditions. This presents apotential safety risk for golfers and the golfcourse maintenance staff. Methane wells andrecovery systems, if properly placed and in-stalled, do a good job of capturing methanebefore it reaches the soil surface. Fires andexplosions have been reported at some golfcourses during the early stages of sitedevelopment and construction.

Considerations for Constructionand Renovation

The best way to minimize future problemsis to employ proper construction techniquesfrom the beginning. Sound agronomic deci-sions and construction methods are notalways the most economical in the shortterm, but they can minimize disruption andcostly repairs in the future.

The first item to consider is the installa-tion of a methane recovery system. Suchsystems often are mandated and usually arein place before golf course constructionbegins. An important consideration is to

make sure all areas of the golf course thatwill be located directly over solid waste willbe serviced by the recovery system. Even ifmethane gas is not actively produced at thetime of construction, some courses have in-stalled vertical recovery wells in the areathat can be connected to the system at a laterdate.

The depth of the soil cap covering the solidwaste is another factor to consider. Althoughthe architect and superintendent have littleto do with recommending the actual landfillmethod, the depth of the soil cap can playarole in selecting suitable green sites. Personalobservations and reports from golf coursesuperintendents indicate that fewer problemsare associated with sites that have a shallow,well-compacted layer of solid waste coveredby a deep soil cap (approximately 35 to 40feet). If the soil cap is inadequate in depth,problems can be anticipated when diggingtrenches for the irrigation system or doingother excavation work on the golf course.

To improve the chances for good plantgrowth, it would be ideal to cover the exist-ing cap with 8 to 12 inches of good qualityfill dirt or topsoil. Unfortunately, the cost isoften prohibitive. Architect Robert MuirGraves faced this problem during the designand construction of the Santa Clara Golf andTennis Club in Santa Clara, California.Given the different types and depths of soilcover, he believed the only way to avoidfuture problems was to cover the entire sitewith 5 to 7 feet of soil. This would addmillions of dollars to the construction cost.As an alternative, it was decided to strip andstockpile the existing soil, grade the refuse tothe desired contours, and then cap the golfcourse with the stockpiled soil. Graves wasthen informed that recycled wastewaterwould be used to irrigate the golf course. Inan effort to improve the internal drainagecharacteristics of the soil, a good quality sandwas located from a nearby dredgingoperation in San Francisco Bay. Due to thehigh price of topsoil in the area, it was moreeconomical to plate the entire golf coursewith a 12-inch layer of sand. Covering theentire course with good quality sand or soilmay not always be feasible, but it doesimprove the quality of the turfgrass and trees.

To reduce the frequency of irrigationbreaks, some landfill golf courses use high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE), especiallyin high-settlement areas. There are severaladvantages to using this product, includingbetter flexibility, high temperature tolerance,resistance to water hammer, and flow charac-teristics similar to that of standard PVC pipe.There also are fewer leaks with this type ofpipe since all joints are heat fused. DavidBermudez, superintendent at MountaingateCountry Club, installed HDPE mainlineson two golf holes and estimated that it has

JULY/AUGUST 1994 3

reduced repair costs by 80%. Due to the highcost of the pipe, HDPE normally is used onlyfor mainlines.

The location and construction of puttinggreens is a primary concern. If at all pos-sible, it is desirable to locate greens on solidground. Since this is not always feasible,other construction techniques can be em-ployed to prevent gas migration into theputting green soil profile. At the IndustryHills golf courses, one methane-affectedgreen was rebuilt in 1989 using a 30 milchlorinated polyethylene (CPE) liner placedbeneath the green. The liner was protectedabove and below with geotextile fabric, andthen a 6-inch soil cap was placed on top ofthe liner. The soil cap was shaped to thedesired contours, and construction proceededaccording to USGA Putting Green Con-struction Recommendations. An additionalmethane well also was installed to capturegas in the area. Kent Davidson, CGCS,Director of Golf Course Maintenance atIndustry Hills, reports that the project was acomplete success and no problems have beenexperienced since the liner was installed.

Growing healthy trees and shrubs can bedifficult on a landfill site. Successful treeestablishment depends mainly on the depthof the soil cap and proper tree selection. Treesplanted in an area with a deep soil cap tendto have a better chance for survival. In areaswith a shallow soil cap, tree mounds can becreated by adding soil to the intended plant-ing site to enhance the rooting area. Treeselection should be based on hardiness andtolerance to oxygen-poor conditions. It isreported that pines (Pinus sp.) and alders(Alnus sp.) tolerate such conditions, as doeucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.), sycamore(Platanus sp.), and pepper trees (Schinussp.). Most turfgrass species will survive onlandfill sites due to the relatively shallowrooting characteristics of turfgrass plants.Currently, no turf species are consideredtolerant of landfill gas.

A fmal consideration is compliance withlaws and regulations. Legislation concerningthe control and disposal of landfill gas al-ready has been imposed by the federalgovernment and many states. Environmentalconcerns about landfill gas contributing tothe greenhouse effect have prompted much ofthis legislation. In California, several stateand local agencies are involved in monitor-ing landfill sites, including the Departmentof Health, local Air Quality ManagementDistricts, the California Integrated WasteManagement Board, and others. In moststates, the Solid Waste Division or state EPAhas jurisdiction over landfill sites. Testingand routine monitoring are often required tocomply with regulations and should be con-sidered a regular part of the maintenancebudget.

4 USGA GREEN SECTION RECORD

Maintenance Considerations

After a golf course has been built on land-fill, one might say "the fun is just beginning."Problems caused by soil shifting and settlingwill require frequent repairs that must beplanned for in the annual maintenancebudget.

The budget should be expanded toaccount for added irrigation repairs andmaintenance. Installation ofHDPE pipe canhelp to reduce repairs on mainlines; however,lateral line repair and sprinkler head levelingwill be necessary on a recurring basis. As anexample, David Bermudez at MountaingateCountry Club budgets $3,000 per monthfor irrigation repairs at the 27-hole facility.Mountaingate also employs three full-timeirrigation technicians to handle the work load.

Soil settling can be expected for severalyears. This can severely affect cart paths,bridges, roads, and drainage systems. Somerepairs will be minor; however, recurringexpenses for renovation of settlement areasand associated golf course features shouldbe forecast in the budget.

Putting green management on landfillgolf courses can be a challenge. For greensaffected by methane gas, there is little thatcan be done except to rebuild. Mike Huck,former superintendent at Industry Hills, triedseveral methods to cope with the negativeeffects of methane gas on the 15th green ofthe Eisenhower Course. During the mid-1980s, Mike implemented programs that in-cluded mole plowing, deep drilling, frequentcore aeration, and supplemental fertilizerapplications. These programs only providedtemporary relief from the anaerobic condi-tions until the green was rebuilt in 1989.

Soil settling and unexpected contourchanges also affect greens. Sometimes, thecontour changes are hardly noticeable anddo not affect daily maintenance operations.Some innovative techniques have been triedto prevent settling of putting greens. Forexample, one course tried building greens ontop of a concrete saucer in the hope that, ifsettling did occur, the entire green wouldsettle evenly. Unfortunately, many of theconcrete saucers broke or the greens tiltedin a direction unsuitable to the direction ofplay. The most practical advice available isto scout nearby areas where minimal settlingoccurs and try to relocate the green in thatarea. According to Tom Shuput, Director ofProject Development for SCS Field Services,areas with a deep soil cover also would begood locations for putting greens.

Due to the poor quality soil often foundon the fairways, be prepared to scheduleadditional slicing or core aeration to relievecompaction and improve air and water pene-tration. Installation of a continuous cart pathsystem and restricting carts to the paths also

helps minimize compaction and maintainquality turf. Fairway topdressing can be an-other tool to improve conditions on fairwaysafflicted with impermeable, poor qualitysoils.

ConclusionMany golf courses have been constructed

on landfill sites. It is likely this trend willcontinue as available land for golf courseconstruction diminishes. The key to successis understanding the effects of landfill gasand carefully coordinating the design andconstruction of the golf course with the in-stallation and operation of a gas collectionsystem. After a golf course has been con-structed on a landfill site, there is little thatcan be done to prevent the damage and dis-ruption caused by settling. In these situations,extra expenditures for repair and mainte-nance of the golf course should be antici-pated for several years. Additional researchis necessary to determine the cultural prac-tices that can minimize the effect of landfillgas on plant materials.

Overall, golf courses built on landfill sitesmake a positive contribution to the environ-ment, the economy, and the community.Despite the challenges, good quality playingconditions can be achieved - even if yourgolf course has gas.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank the following peoplefbr their valuable contributions to this article: KentDavidson, CGCS; Mike Huck, David Bermudez,and Tom Shuput.

References

Anonymous. 1981. Ugly Dump Site Transformedinto Recreation Mega-facility. Civil Engineering.June 1981. pp. 47-49.Gadd, Dale. 1988. On Design, Detail, and Judi-cious Juggling. Golf Course Management.November 1988. pp. 22-30.GSF Energy Inc. 1992. Protecting the Environ-ment Through Landfill Gas Recovery. 1992(brochure).

Oostindie, Dirk. 1987. Landfill Areas And ItsVegetation. The Turfline News: Proceedings Vol.1 of the 24th Annual Conference. April 1987.pp.27-30.Schmidt, Edward Jr. 1991. Garbage to Golf. GolfJournal. January/February 1991. pp. 35-38.SCS Field Services. 1993. Building a Golf Courseon a Landfill. Golf Course Management. February1993. pp. 90-94.Williams, C. E, R. E. Terry, et al. 1991. Methaneemissions and decomposition in golf greens con-structed over a landfill. Agronomy Abstracts.October 1991. pp. 280.Williams, C. E, R. E. Terry, et al. 1993. Under-standing Biogas Effects. Golf Course Manage-ment. February 1993. pp. 96-102.