Project Update 091411

Site of final mainline connection show on previous post

The majority of the project is complete. Although there remains some mapping and record work to do, the installation has all been completed. The very small punch list that remained has been taken care of, the equipment removed from the site and the staging area cleaned up. We believe that we can speak for all who observed the progress of this project over the past 5 months when we say that it was the cleanest and best organized installation we have seen. As you can imagine this detailed approach also carried through to the workmanship of the installation resulting in a first class product. The team from Nutt Irrigation did a fantastic job and our thanks go out to them for all their hard work. Thanks also goes to Simmons Irrigation, Rain Bird and AS Altum & Associates. The success of this project is a result of the team effort put forth by all involved.

Permanent System Connection

Today the connection between the new irrigation system and the pump station was completed. The photo to the left show the existing mainline located in the center of number one fairway. Flow comes from the bottom of the photo and the "T" sends water in both directions in a loop around the course. We were all very surprised to find that there was no concrete poured as a thrust block which is intended to prevent movement of the pipe. Often, anywhere from five to ten yards of concrete is poured to stabilize the joint and prevent failure. In this case only a series of cinder blocks were used. Although this did make our work easier, it was concerning that this is the approach that was used on one of the most crucial fittings on the entire system.

After the "T" was cut out we noticed how poorly that the mainline lined up going into the fitting as shown on the right. Note the different angles of each pipe. This severe angle created a higher risk of failure. Based on all the factors, we believe it was nothing more than luck that kept this joint from failing and causing a potentially catastrophic situation.

With the final connection made, the old system is no longer pressurized and officially abandoned. The last of the installation on the course should be completed on number one this week and the driving range done by the end of next week bring the project to an end. The entire project team is looking forward to completion.

Wet Well Inspection

We had a diver come out and do a visual inspection of our wet well and irrigation pumps. We did this inspection to make sure we are not pumping trash or debris through the system that could possibly damage the pumps or other system components. The inspection showed the wet well and pump screens are in very good condition.

Lake Fill Valves

We are installing lake fill values to select ponds on the golf course. These values will  allow us to control the pond levels throughout the golf course.The fresh water being pumped into the ponds will also help to protect the fisheries by providing much needed oxygen during the summer months.

Plowing Pipe & Wire 072711

The plowing of pipe and wire resumed after a short delay and great progress is being made. For those of you who have not seen this part of the system installation take place, this video briefly demonstrates the operation. This took place on #12 tee which is now complete and operational.

Also, we have begun adding pond fill valves at each of the ponds on the course. This will allow the pond level to be controlled allowing for better management and protection of the fish populations. They also serve as drains should be have to empty the system of water to complete a repair.

Earth Ground Resistance Test

Simmons Irrigation recently came out and did a ground resistance test for several ICSD sites. The system specifications call for a maximum allowable reading of 450OHMS to provide adequate and effective lightning protection for the ICMs. All sites were within the maximum allowable reading and should provide adequate protection. The average OHMS reading was 9 OHMS.

"In" and "Out" Greens Heads

We are installing in and out irrigation heads on each green. The reason for in and out heads is that the greens may require a different amount of water than the approaches and surrounds. We can now water the greens without over watering the approaches or vice versa.

AS Altum Visit 062311

A.S. Altum and Associates

10311 Towne Road

Carmel, Indiana  46032

(317) 876-3520 Phone

(317) 876-3521 Fax

Home Office

SITE CONSTRUCTION

& STAKING VISIT

REP:  Tony Altum                            

PROJECT: Brays Island

STAKING VISIT NO: 2                               DATE(S): June 23, 2011

INSTALLATION PROGRESS: Installation on the main line is totally complete with the  two main street bores also completed and the system is pressurized and holding well. The system was being flushed for debris while I was there.

STAKING: Holes #11, 12 and 13 were staked and gps’d and reviewed by Jeff from the club. There were an additional 14 sprinklers added in rough areas that were not a part of the original plan as well as some deviation in the staking in the field. Jeff should review the sprinklers that may be in question and hold off on installing them till the end of the project as it is easy to go back and add a sprinkler off the IC system. This will keep the project on track as far as budget is concerned.  As each hole is laid out and GPS’d, as stakes are attached to this report and once installed, IC codes will be provided to Altum for final programming. The hydraulic tree is constructed by Altum office and is ready for quick turn around via the internet for operation from the central and all programming options.

SPECIFICATION CHANGES:

OTHER ITEMS: CHANGE ORDERS: None.

ESTIMATED INSTALLATION PROGRESS: Main line and bores complete by June 20^th. Holes #14, 15 and 16 should be complete by the week of July 11^th.

NEXT SITE VISIT: Week of July 4th  or 11th to stake next 6 holes. 

Irrigation Update 063011

Nutt irrigation started pulling in pipe on Hole 14 on Monday.  There will be a total of 72 heads installed on this hole. The goal is to install 25 to 30 heads a day. The installation is going a little slower than planned due to mechanical issues and weather delays. The tee complex has been installed and all heads have been adjusted and are operating well.The fairway should be finished on Thursday and the green will be finished on Friday.

AS Altum Visit 061011

A.S. Altum and Associates

10311 Towne Road

Carmel, Indiana  46032

(317) 876-3520 Phone

(317) 876-3521 Fax

Home Office

SITE CONSTRUCTION

& STAKING VISIT

REP:  Tony Altum                            

PROJECT: Brays Island

STAKING VISIT NO: 2                               DATE(S): June 10, 2011

INSTALLATION PROGRESS: Installation on the main line is totally complete with the exception of two main street bores and a couple of road crossings along with the tie ins. There still needs to be a major flushing on all the main line piping prior to lateral installation once the main is hooked up. There was a discussion with Mike from Brays in regards to the possibility of adding fire hydrants to the main line irrigation piping for either drafting purposes or for actual fire line access for residents.  Altum will be sending a main line routing to Mike for the fire chief to identify local hydrant locations. Altum will also be advising the club as to the possibilities of utilizing the main line piping and how the pump station should be upgraded for this purpose. Rain Bird will be sending a pump station representative out the week of the 20^th of June to review the present pump station operation as it might be upgraded to handle the possibility of the fire protection line. Having some sort of telemetry between the central control, pump station and some sort of flow meter or flow identifier at the fire hydrants are all items to be reviewed.

STAKING: Holes #14, 15 and 16 were staked and gps’d and reviewed by Jeff from the club. There were an additional 6 sprinklers added in rough areas that were not a part of the original plan as well as some deviation in the staking in the field. Jeff should review the sprinklers that may be in question and hold off on installing them till the end of the project as it is easy to go back and add a sprinkler off the IC system. This will keep the project on track as far as budget is concerned.  As each hole is laid out and GPS’d, as stakes are attached to this report and once installed, IC codes will be provided to Altum for final programming. The hydraulic tree is being constructed at Altum office and will be ready for quick turn around via the internet for operation from the central.

SPECIFICATION CHANGES:

OTHER ITEMS: Fire Protection: Upon the next visit I should have some information regarding costs and feasibility of installing hydrants for drafting water for fire protection. There are numerous issues and concerns on all levels of involvement and must be discussed thoroughly before any decisions are made.

CHANGE ORDERS: None.

ESTIMATED INSTALLATION PROGRESS: Main line and bores complete by June 20^th. Holes #14, 15 and 16 should be complete in two weeks starting on the 20^th.

NEXT SITE VISIT: Week of June 20^th  or 27th to stake next 6 holes. 

Project Update 061711



Poor distribution evident throughout the course

Tony Altum of AS Altum visited the course last week and performed staking on the first three holes. During the staking process the specific location of each sprinklers is determined. Slight variations often occur when transferring the plan to the golf hole however the layout has thus far worked out very well.

Next Monday the boring of the mainline will be completed under William Bray Boulevard. Once installed all of the mainline will have been completed and the next major task will be to temporarily tie the new mainline into the existing system. This will be done on number one and is why the excavation on number one has remained open and will remain so for some time. Once the connection is complete the new pipe will be pressurized and flushed out to remove any debris. After all of the lateral lines are completed the new system will be permanently tied to the pump station and the holes filled in.

As the drought continues the deficiencies of the existing irrigation system continue to show. The poor distribution shown above is the easiest symptom to see. What is more difficult to see are the inefficiencies in the control system and distribution which results in wasting precious water. It is expected that the new system will use significantly less water through greater efficiency thus lowering future risk of running out of water. Other options are being explored to ensure sufficient water availability in the future. 

Power Disruption

Today we encountered a problem while installing mainline on #1. As has been done throughout the project, the underground utilities were located by the SC811 service prior to any digging. The power service that was hit was not known to be in the area and was not marked. Repairs were completed and service restored promptly. 

Project Update 060311

The irrigation system replacement project has continued to progress very well. Mainline installation has been completed this week on holes nine and ten as well as the road crossing from number nine to the driving range. Please note that the driving range will be closed next Monday, June 6th. It will be re-opened as soon as possible.

All of the mainline installation is expected to be completed by the end of next week with the exception of the borings of the road crossings on William Bray Drive.

Project Update 052710

This week mainline pipe was installed on holes 6, 8 and 9. The clean up process was completed on these holes prior to the holiday weekend.

Project Update 052011

Good progress has continued to be made this week. Mainline pipe has been installed on holes 4, 5 and 7. The clean-up process is going very smoothly.

Project Update 051311

Good progress has continued to be made this week. Mainline has continued to be installed and the quality of the installation and clean-up has remained great.

On Tuesday, IGM and Nutt Irrigation staff met with the system designer Tony Altum to complete a review of the progress. His report is provided below.

A.S. Altum and Associates

10311 Towne Road
Carmel, Indiana  46032
(317) 876-3520 Phone
(317) 876-3521 Fax
Home Office

SITE CONSTRUCTION

& STAKING VISIT

REP:  Tony Altum                            

PROJECT: Brays Island

STAKING VISIT NO: 1                               DATE(S): May 10, 2011

INSTALLATION PROGRESS: Installation is well on the way with main line complete on holes 12-18. The sod is not being cut with the final grade being tamped and leveled for the grass to grow back on its own. The restoration looks good. Joe from Nutt and I looked at the temporary tie in on the existing system. The decision was to take the planned 12” line in HDPE past the existing 10” PVC line and make a temporary tie in so that either the new system or the existing system could be utilized all the way till the end of the project. The grounding for the IC system is being looped up at each valve location and the grounding set. The grounding should not be attached to the control cable till each location is tested and approved for the minimum requirement for the OHMS test.

STAKING: Staking was put off till around the week of June 13th. It was agreed upon to keep installing main line piping because of the lack of disturbance to the existing irrigation system. Once the main line is in, the IC system allows for the ability to install any hole at a time as long as the connection to the central is non-interrupted. The staking is planned as  holes per visit as to minimize expense. As each hole is laid out and GPS’d, as stakes will be provided and once installed, IC codes will be provided to Altum for final programming. The hydraulic tree is being constructed at Altum office and will be ready for quick turn around via the internet for operation from the central.

SPECIFICATION CHANGES:

OTHER ITEMS: There was some discussion regarding relocation of the central control system to the club house or pro shop area. The location was reviewed and found no real good climate controlled area to set it up in. Research was done as to relocation because of the cost associated with the lack of radio connection with the central control and the far side of the course. This was done by a site survey from Rain Bird. The conclusion was that it was best to install a repeater at the club house and keep the central controls at the maintenance location. Tyler will research the additional cost of the repeater and to see if some of the costs can be offset by the existing MIM no longer required at the old central.

There was also a discussion as to the priority in installation of the holes. Holes 15 and 16 are non-operational to Jeff as of now and therefore the construction and pulling of the pipe will commence there. There are 4 separate hydraulic pipe routings that maintain the existing system. To keep the existing system operational, the progression of the installation of holes must start at the end of the hydraulic pipe and work backwards to the start of each run. This will allow for each hole or holes to be shut down completely while installing. It was also agreed upon to install entire holes if the down time was a minimum of 3 days per hole and if not possible to install greens and tees first if a hole or holes would be down for more than 3 days.

CHANGE ORDERS: None.

ESTIMATED INSTALLATION PROGRESS: The Main line and wire routes and bores should be completed by the second week in June.

NEXT SITE VISIT: Week of June 13^th to stake first 6 holes. 

Project Update 050611

Thus far, mainline installation has been completed on holes 12 through 16 and 18. The dry weather has helped keep the project moving without interuption.

In addition to the pipe, valves and lighting protection or grounding is being installed. The valves are placed so that sections of the mailine can be isolated for repair or other needs. Lateral lines will have valves as well giving us much greater control of the impact of mainteance or repairs on the system.

Lighting protection

Mainline valve

Mainline Installation #14

After mainline installation

Mainline installation has been completed on #14 up to #16 green. The back fill and clean-up is going very well with dry soil conditions. These trenchlines may settle and require some finish grading later. They will remain visible until the grow back in over the summer.

Trenching Started

Trenching of the mainline began today on number fourteen. About 2,000 feet of pipe was installed as well as several valves. In advance of the digging all utilities are being located as well as portions of the existing irrigation system. The trencher encountered two drain lines which will be repaired prior to backfilling the trench.

With the help of the Nutt Team, several valves on the existing system have been located. This will help to isolate smaller sections of the system while work is being performed and reduce the risk of losing hitting the system, losing water and the turf drying out.

Remember that in order to complete this project prior to the fall overseeding process, equipment must continue to run while golf play is in the area. Everyone is doing their best to minimize disruption and we apologize for any inconvenience that is caused as we work to complete this project. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Pipe Welding

This is the welding machine we are using to weld together the HDPE pipe. We have two of these machines running on this project to increase productivity.

We will weld the mainline pipe together in the far rough on each hole that we are working on. We can weld up to a 1000 feet of pipe together before moving it in place.

Due to the time constraint and the large scope of this job we must keep the machines moving at all times. We will not be able to turn off equipment when golf play comes through. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Mobilization Underway

Equipment has continued to arrive on the Plantation as part of the irrigation project. Both Nutt Irrigation's equipment as well as rental equipment are currently being staged in the maintenance complex. In the next few days the project staging area will move to the open field near the Wedge Range. Other staging areas around the course will also be used to store equipment and materials.

A rental equipment delivery

Trencher that will be used in mainline installation

Project to Start Monday

With a successfull Member/Guest underway, we are looking ahead to the start of the irrigation system replacement. Nutt Construction has already begun to mobilize with some equipment on-site. The project officially start next Monday. First to be installed will be the main line around the course. You will soon start to see paint marking and pin flags on the course as we determine to exact routing of the pipe.

We will make every effort to keep the entire course open throughout the project however regular hole closures should be expected. If a hole is closed, please follow any directional signs around the work area. Please stay clear of the work area for your safety. If you have any questions or comments, please email  us at jmiller@igminc.net or tminamyer@igminc.net.

Who Needs an Irrigation System?

With the wet weather recently, who needs an irrigation system? Truth is, with regular rainfall you don't need an irrigation system. If we can find a way to schedule Mother Nature to provide about one inch of rain per week, we would be all set. Of course turf managers are particular and want to be able to control the time and the volume of each rain. Not too much to ask right? We'll keep working on that but until then, the irrigation system will remain an important tool in maintaining the course. The start of installation is fast approaching and final preparations have been made. The entire Team is excited about the challenge ahead.

The wet weather has also created quite a challenge for the IGM team to maintain and prepare the course for the recent events and the Member/Guest which right around the corner. From washed out bunkers to the disruption of mowing frequencies, the rain has thrown a pretty big wrench in our plans. We are working diligently to clean up, make repairs and get the course prepared. With more rain in the forecast for next Tuesday, seems we can't catch a break. We expect some very long work days over the next week and hope everyone can proud of the results.

System Installation Challenges

During the installation process we are anticipating a real challenge in keeping the turf irrigated. Until the project is completed we will have two pressurized systems to be operated. The existing system and the new one. Once the trenching begins we run a very real risk of damaging the existing system. Whether it is piping or hydraulic control tubing, repairs will have to be made until the new system is complete.

In addition, once the lateral line installation begins on a given hole the existing system will be abandoned. Until the new system is installed and pressurized, the hole will be without water. Our plan will be to run a heavy irrigation cycle on each hole prior to installation and apply wetting agents as needed to help retain moisture. We are also prepared to hand water what we can but there is potential for some turf to dry out.

While we expect our measures to be successful we are also realistic in saying that there will be some impact to the condition of the course. Playability though is not likely to be impacted. The short term impact will be slight compared to the long term benefits the new system will provide.

Siphon Drainage

A siphon basin during installation. Note that the

piping leaves the drainage pit at an elevation

higher than the depth at which the water will be

collected in the bottom of the basin.

The Turf Drain Siphon System is the first drainage system in which you can install drainage without the need to grade pipe. Piping can go over mounding or into an ungraded trench. It has an application in flat coastal properties where there is a need to take the water a long distance with little elevation change. Any property where grading pipe may be difficult, such as rocky property or a course with lots of underground obstructions, can benefit from a Turf Drain Siphon System.

At Brays Island there are 9 individual Siphon Systems installed on the course. Each is separately controlled by a small, landscape style irrigation timer. It can be set to run on a set schedule however takes a significant amount of time to change the schedule or to run manually like we do after a rain event. We have also discovered that the irrigation timers are very prone to fail.

With this in mind, during the irrigation renovation we are installing Rain Bird IC controlled valves to operate the Siphon System. This will allow us to control the Siphon System with the Rain Bird irrigation controller. With this improved control of the drainage, we can have better control of the course. For example, we can run the system before an approaching storm to clear out the basins and lines, then based on the rainfall amounts adjust the schedule to dry the areas of the course as quickly as possible. This is not to say that everyone can expect a tremendous difference in course conditions after a storm but we feel that every little bit helps in restoring normal access to the course.

Pulling Pipe

Nutt Irrigation's Vermeer RTX750

In order to provide the most efficient installation and minimize damage to the golf course, lateral irrigation lines are being installed using a vibratory plow. The unit pictured is the Vermeer RTX750 which belongs to Nutt Irrigation who is performing the system installation.

This unit weighs an excess of 9,500 pounds and it's plow exerts a force of 24,000 pounds at a maximum depth of 36 inches.



Once the pipe is pulled, the pull lines will be tamped and rolled to smooth the surface. Areas where irrigation heads are to be installed will be dug by hand and pipe connections made. All disrupted areas in the fairway and primary rough will recieve additional fertility applications and topdressing with sand as needed to speed recovery and return the course to top condition.

Pull line before tamping & rolling

Larger pipe sizes including the main line will be installed with the more conventional trenching. The majority of the areas that will be trenched will be on the perimter of the course and more out-of-play. Here too, additional fertilizer applications and topdressing will be used as needed but given the width of these trenches everyone should expect these scares to last longer than those in the fairways. Some may even not be fully recovered this season.

Second Materials Order Placed

Irrigation valve and rotor

The final materials order which included the irrigation rotors or sprinklers as well as all the control components, swing joints, pipe fittings and other assorted supplies was placed on February 15th. Delivery is expected in late March or early April. A trailer will be used to provide safe and secure storage for these supplies.

We are also in the process of ordering IC controled valves to intergrate the Siphon drainage into the irrigation control system. Having improved control over start and run times will allow us to get the most out of the Siphon drainage. 

Currently, the siphon valves each run on individual controllers which have not proved dependable and are all programed to run on a regular infrequent intervals. Intergrating it into the irrigation control will allow us to run exactly when they are needed most and repeat the cycles as often as neccesary to help dry the course out more quickly.

First Materials Order Placed



Small portion of the project supplies that have
been delivered to the Plantation

A golf course irrigation system contains large amounts of pipe and wire. High density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe which is being used for this project is a petroleum product. And although it is made with a large percentage of recycle material, it is still subject to the price fluctuations of its petroleum component. Likewise, the wire and all of the grounding equipment is copper and subject to the same market fluctuations.

With this in mind, the project team set out to identify the appropriate time to purchase these commodity market driven materials. All of the pipe, wire and grounding components were ordered the first week of December 2010. Since that time both copper and petroleum prices have increased and so have the prices of these finished goods.

The delivery of these supplies began the second week of January during the snow storm that impacted much of the Southeast. Some of the products were able to arrive on-time while others were scheduled to be delivered the following week. The supplies will be stored in several locations on the Plantation and moved to staging areas closer to the course during the contractor's mobilization.

The remaining supplies include the sprinklers and control products. The price of these materials are guaranteed until April however lead time for delivery must be considered.

Welcome

Welcome to the Brays Island Irrigation System Replacement Blog. We hope this to be the first of many interesting and informative posts. Our goal is to provide information about the replacement project as well as provide useful information that may help to limit any interference this project may have on players enjoyment of the course. Check back for weekly updates up until the project starts and more often after that. Again, welcome and we hope you find this blog helpful and informative.