GolfClubAtlas.com > Golf Course Architecture
Golf Course Stream Restoration
Mike Sweeney:
This is out of my comfort zone but I would assume the Enoree River at Musgrove Mill would be a case study. It is my impression fom the poster know at Turboe that the Enoree is an on and off problem at MM.
Art Roselle:
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. Charlotte Country Club just reopened after a restoration by Ron Prichard and an important part of the project was a restoration of Briar Creek, which runs through the course. Charlotte is a Donald Ross course which opened in 1910, along Briar Creek on the East side of town. In the mid 60s, due to flooding problems in the city, the Army Corps of Engineers recommended a "channelization" project for Briar Creek, which effectively made it the flood run-off valve for a large chunk of the city. These channelization projects have lots of problems, but serve their purpose. The environmental sciences department at UNCC describes it this way:
"Channelization is one of the most common solutions to urban drainage problems, despite the fact that channelized streams are frequently morphologically unstable, biologically unproductive, and aesthetically displeasing. There is increasing empirical and theoretical evidence to suggest that channelization may be counterproductive unless channels are designed to prevent the bank erosion and channel silting that often accompanies stream dredging."
Apparently, Briar Creek had all of those problems and to prevent further erosion, the city installed riprap along the creek walls in the mid 70s. While this may have helped with erosion, it did not do much for the aesthetics or the debris problems. After heavy rains, the creek through the course would have basketballs, beer cans and all sorts of other trash stuck in among the riprap rocks. In addition, the riprap itself was fairly ugly.
Here is an overhead shot of what the creek looked like before. It certainly was not natural looking
Due to the drainage and erosion concerns, it took some effort to get approval to remove the riprap and use a different approach that would be more natural and aesthetically pleasing. As described by the engineering firm, "The project also included enhancement and re-construction of approximately 1,500 linear feet of Briar Creek. Channel enhancements included removal of riprap lining, installation of in-stream structures, bank grading, and extensive planting for stabilization."
This involved the construction of "benched" areas above the normal creek level which could be planted with various grasses, but still handle the overflow during times of heavy runoff. Today, the grasses have not grown in yet, but the entire look of the creek areas has been dramatically improved. I expect that once it is fully grown in, it will have a look somewhat similar to the pictures Jim provided from Bedford Springs
Construction of benched area on #12
#13 during construction, but before the removal of the old creek lining. You can see the look of the old riprap.
Work on #13
New look with wall and benched area
In addition, to the Briar Creek project, Prichard uncovered portions of some older tributaries and brought them into play on the course. The most dramatic of these is on hole #6, where a small stream had been completely piped and buried beneath the fairway
You can sort of make out where the creek path use to run diagonally from just short of the fairway bunkers across the fairway
Now, the creek is in play along that line and was constructed with a very natural look with some rock and rolled turf (a little hard to see from this angle, but I could not get a new enough aerial picture)
Overall, it has turned out great and will only get better as the native plants grow in. It shows how important even a small creek can be to the overall look and feel of the course. Prichard and the engineering team did a great job coming up with an alternative that worked for both their vision and the Army Corps. Thanks to Tom Epps for some of the pictures
JMorgan:
--- Quote from: Wayne Morrison on January 10, 2008, 10:19:56 AM ---And of course you know who is standing to the right of that Forse of Nature...his right hand man Jim Nagle of the Lititz, Pennsylvania Nagles. Lititz is just down the road from Intercourse, Bird in Hand and Blue Ball. Lititz in German means, well...never mind ;)
Excellent thread, Jim. These sorts of presentations are very helpful.
--- End quote ---
I thought Lititz were just down the road from Virginville, and all roads then lead to Route 30? Oh, never mind.
John Moore II:
I think that creeks, rivers, channels, whatever you want to call them add a lot to a golf course. First, it gives water somewhere to go, not simply a pond, And they add a lot of character to a course when done right. In that case, if they are done right, you really can't go wrong.
JMorgan:
Jim, Art, what kind of vegetation was used in your projects?
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