Walkers Rejoice!

What a fall we've had! The weather has been phenomenal up to the middle of November and then it started raining and raining and raining. Needless to say, there will be plenty of moisture in the ground going into winter freeze up.

We have several projects underway that began after we closed for the season on November 8. The walking path from the 13th black/blue tee to the green is being restored. As you may recall, a large section of the path was washed out by the heavy rains we experienced during construction and grow-in and the path has been closed since we re-opened. Our contractor, Urban Companies, hauled and placed many loads of fill on the steep, wooded site. The sub-base beneath the path is now restored. Asphalt repairs will most likely have to wait until next spring at which point the path will be open.



Initial stages of collapse.



 Skid loader using the plywood path used to protect the turf, irrigation system
 and native plant restoration along the woodland edge.

Work site is very steep, requiring a careful equipment operator and some
manual labor.

Temporary erosion control blankets in place.



Path subgrade restored.

Our second project underway is the expansion of our drainage infiltration basin located east of the second hole. More than 50% of surface-drained water from the golf course ends up here. After re-opening the golf course and experiencing several heavy, torrential rain events, it was obvious that we needed to increase the capacity of this drainage area. The basin would fill up, resulting in the drainage system backing up onto the golf course and flooding certain holes.

We applied for and received a cost-share grant of $37,000 from the Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District for this project. This grant will cover 75% of the project cost with Ramsey County and the City of Maplewood picking up the remaining amount. I will post additional photos as the project wraps up in early December, providing the snow stays away.



This is the site to the east of the second hole after tree clearing was completed.
Most of the removed trees were Siberian Elm, an invasive tree of little ecological
value. At some point we will replant with oaks and hackberry.

The fill generated from this dig is to be dumped and graded out on the back end
of the driving range. The disturbed basin area and surrounds will be seeded to
short grass prairie and short sedge meadow species.