FINISHING TOUCHES

The irrigation system installation is wrapping up. The system has been running automatically for months now while the last few fairway sprinklers have been installed. The pump station communication with the central computer has been established and the wireless weather station is being installed.

The diagnostics at the central computer communicate directly to each sprinkler head and provide the
status and condition of all of the sprinklers and valves on the golf course in less than one minute.

This technician for ISI solders all of the wire splices in the system.

This hydraulic tamper is used to compact the soil around the sprinkler heads.

The final touches are put on a trench crossing the fairway on the last hole.

BOOSTER PUMP INSTALLATION

The topography at Towson G & CC required a booster pump station to be added to the design. The steep climb up to the clubhouse and other irrigated areas such as 10 tee box, the putting green and the driving range tee need an extra water pressure boost to supply those upper areas with the necessary water and pressure. A location was chosen between the driving range and #1 tee, out of the way. The mainline enters one side of the pump and exits the other side with increased pressure.

The booster station comes preassembled and ready to install.

This station will increase water pressure to irrigated areas uphill.

The irrigation mainline will continue uphill to irrigated areas such as the putting green, tennis court irrigation
#10 tee.

FAIRWAY INSTALLATION CONTINUES

The fairway sprinkler heads are being installed at a rapid pace now that we have had better weather conditions. The installation process does not need an open trench for the lateral line pipe so clean up is quicker and easier. The only holes are at pipe connections and where the new sprinkler heads and quick coupler valves are added. As soon as sprinkler heads are added to the communication wire path each sprinklers information can be scanned quickly from its barcode and uploaded to the central computer.

This sprinkler head just needs to be connected to the communication wire and then it is ready
to be backfilled.

Finishing touches on sprinkler heads and backfilling. 



Two inch HDPE tee being fused. This procedure does not require any glue or mechanical restraints.



Two inch HDPE elbow being fused.

The maintenance staff puts finishing touches on mainline trenches by adding a little topsoil and seed.

Just add water and these trench lines will heal quickly.

FAIRWAY SPRINKLERS BEING INSTALLED

Similar to the greens installation the 2" HDPE lateral pipes are being pulled in using a vibratory plow. This method eliminates the need for an open trench. Using HDPE eliminates solvent weld connections in the pipe. All HDPE connections are butt fused. The process involves heating the two pipes ends that will be joined and holding them together under a constant pressure until the material cools. The result is a incredibly strong weld that has a higher burst point than the pipe. The single communication cable is laid in the trough with the pipe. The Towson system was designed with two wire paths, 550 sprinklers on the red wire path and 550 on the green wire path. Each wire travels back to Doug Halls office where the central control computer communicates individually with each sprinkler providing detailed information on each sprinklers status and condition.

2" pipe and communication wire being plowed.

This sprinkler head is ready to be installed.

The ends of each pipe and fitting were already heated. This machine holds
smaller pipe together while it cools.

Here we see a transition from the PVC sub-mainline to 2" HDPE pipe. 

CONNECTING THE PUMP STATION

With the new screen on the intake pipe, ISI was ready to make the final connection between the mainline and the pump station. The 12" pipe coming from the pump station will feed the entire golf course.

Jimmy and Juan wrestle with the new intake screen.

The steel discharge pipe will be concreted into place.

A massive 10" isolation valve is lowered into place.

A mainline tee is positioned.

The heavy 10" and 12" ductile iron fittings have to positioned using backhoes.

STAKING CONTINUES...

Another full day of staking locates the sprinklers on the last two greens, the booster station and 3 fairways. The booster station will provide a needed pressure increase to push water up the steep hill to the putting green, driving range tee and clubhouse.

Sprinkler head locations are staked on 18 green.

Meeting of the minds. The golf course staff (Doug, Mark and Brent) review the location of the
booster pump station with Paul McMahon, Paul Hill and Geoff Mack.



The power source for the booster pump station is verified.



INTEGRATED CONTROL SPRINKLER HEADS NOW BEING INSTALLED

The installation is rolling now with mainline done and 13 greens sprinklers and lateral pipe installed. ISI uses a machine called a vibratory plow to install the 2" HDPE pipe and Integrated Control System wire without the need for an open trench. This method is the least disruptive to the turf. The majority of the lateral piping in the fairways, tees and around the greens will be installed using this method.



After the sprinkler and pipe locations and are marked holes are dug. Notice the soil is placed on tarps. 




The IC wire is fed through a trough in the blade. As the pipe is      
pulled through the ground the wire is laid on top of it.
No stress is placed on the wire.




The vibratory plow travels on plywood to prevent turf damage around the
greens.




Pipe and wire being plowed. Corbin feeds the wire in the through the trough.




Turf disturbance is minimal.





The installed sprinklers have a temporary bar code on the surface. The bar code is then scanned and the
individual sprinkler head information can be uploaded at the central computer. 



TIME TO STAKE THE GREENS

Part of the installation process performed by Hydro Designs and ISI is staking the location of the new sprinkler heads. Using the scale drawing prepared by Hydro Designs as a reference, the position of each sprinkler head is measured and marked with a stake on the golf course. With 95% of the main line installed it is time to begin installing laterals and sprinkler heads.

Sprinkler head positions are marked around each green.

Sprinkler head positions on the tees were marked as well.

THE NEW MAIN PUMP STATION GETS INSTALLED

Despite an early morning shower, ISI was able to get the large crane out onto the golf course to remove the old pump station and install the new station. To conserve resources and time the existing building was reused to house the new pump station. All of this work was done in a few hours. The 11' vertical pumps and motors had to be placed through an existing hatch in the roof.  However, the two ton steel skid and components were slid through the double wide doors. The custom built pump station fit perfectly into its new home.






The crane crosses the golf course on mats to prevent damage to the turf.

 



The old station is removed one piece at a time.




ISI is able to lift and roll the new station through the front doors.

 



Pushing the skid through the front door eliminates the need to
remove the roof.

 


The motor is lowered on to the pump.

   



The pumps are lowered through the hatch in the roof.

 



Once inside, the skid was pushed into place using steel rollers.

 


The station is positioned over the existing 6' wet well.

 

PUMP STATIONS ARE DELIVERED

Both pump stations arrived on March 8th after traveling from Rain Bird in Tucson, AZ. Each pump station goes through an intensive quality control sequence as it is being built. Both stations were fully assembled and tested in Tucson before they shipped to Towson. This ensures that when the pump stations reach their final destination they are ready to go when they come off the truck.

Both pump stations arrive on a flat bed truck from Tucson, AZ.

The pump stations are off loaded before they
can travel out onto the golf course.

WORK RESUMES!

With the weather cooperating over the last 10 days ISI has been able to proceed with mainline installation.

6" mainline being installed on #14.

Trenches get back filled and tamped.

MORE SNOW

The unexpected snow cover over the last month and a half  has slowed down progress. The contractor has been able to work in between snow storms and has installed over 50% of the mainline irrigation pipes. Holes 1-5,10,11,15 and 17 have mainline pipe installed. These pictures were taken last week. With rain coming and warmer temperatures expected the installation will be able to get back on schedule.