Water scarcity and climate pressures mean irrigation is no longer just about keeping turf green - it’s now central to sustainable turf management. We speak to a turf manager about how precision watering balances performance, environmental responsibility, and long-term resilience.

Irrigation has always been part of turf management - why is it now such a central sustainability issue?

Water can’t be taken for granted. Twenty years ago, irrigation was about presentation. Today, it’s central to environmental responsibility. Managing any professional sports sturface means managing a finite resource.

Public scrutiny and climate pressure make irrigation strategic, not just operational.

Has that changed how you approach watering day-to-day?

We’ve moved away from calendar-based watering. Now we irrigate based on need, using evapotranspiration data, soil moisture sensors and weather forecasts. Sometimes the most sustainable decision is not to irrigate. Turf doesn’t need to look lush all year. A little controlled stress produces firmer, stronger playing surfaces.

Can you explain controlled stress?

That’s deficit irrigation - replacing only 70–80% of water lost. It encourages deeper rooting, making the turf more resilient. Combined with aeration, thatch management and sensible nutrition, it builds long-term drought tolerance and reduces overall water demand.

How important is soil management?

Crucial. On compacted or poorly structured soil, water either runs off or sits on the surface, creating shallow roots and disease. Aeration, topdressing and thatch control allow water to reach the rootzone efficiently. Sustainable irrigation starts with soil structure, not sprinklers.

How has technology influenced sustainable irrigation?

Central control systems, moisture probes and flow sensors have transformed irrigation. We can adjust in real time and measure water use precisely. Technology supports experience and allows transparent reporting - sustainability now needs evidence.

Is there tension between sustainability and playability?

Less than before. Many sports benefit from firmer, drier surfaces. Golfers like faster greens; cricket outfields perform better when not soft. Sustainability and performance are no longer opposed.

Where is irrigation headed?

It’s becoming more data-driven. Climate modelling, automated adjustments and smarter zoning will continue to evolve. But at its core, sustainable irrigation always comes back to three things: the soil, the plant and the climate. Respect those relationships, and efficiency follows naturally. It’s not about keeping turf green at all costs anymore - it’s about balance.

Five steps to improve irrigation sustainability

1. Monitor soil moisture, not the clock
   Use in-ground sensors or tensiometers to irrigate based on real-time soil conditions rather than fixed schedules. It ensures turf gets only what it needs.
2. Apply water strategically
   Practice deficit or zoned irrigation, applying slightly less in some areas to encourage deeper rooting, and adjusting zones based on shade, slope, or soil type.
3. Maintain healthy soils
   Aerate regularly, manage thatch, and topdress with sand where appropriate. Well-structured soil improves infiltration, reduces runoff, and increases water efficiency.
4. Use technology wisely
   Central irrigation controllers, flow meters, and weather-linked systems allow accurate water application and help track usage for sustainability reporting.
5. Select resilientturf and water sources
   Choose drought-tolerant or deep-rooting grasses suited to your climate. Where possible, supplement with harvested rainwater or treated wastewater while monitoring salinity.

The Agrovista Amenity SM150T soil moisture probe, set to the mineral soil setting at Staining Lodge Golf Course, provides data that helps optimise turf moisture management and identifies potential issues across the playing surface.

Seeing the unseen: Integrated soil monitoring for smarter turf management

In modern turf management, the key to consistent, high-quality playing surfaces is understanding what happens below the surface.

Integrated systems are transforming how turf professionals monitor and respond to soil conditions, enabling data-driven interventions that enhance root health, reduce stress, and optimise playability. By combining continuous measurements of soil moisture, temperature, salinity, and oxygen availability, these systems provide insight beyond visual inspection or periodic testing. Sensors at key depths give real-time feedback on soil behaviour under varying weather, usage, and maintenance conditions.

Improved water management

Accurate soil moisture data allows irrigation to match actual plant needs rather than fixed schedules. Monitoring volumetric water content at root depth prevents overwatering, reduces disease risk, improves surface firmness, and enables targeted irrigation of dry areas, saving water and energy. Soil moisture and temperature also influence surface hardness, traction, and recovery. Integrated monitoring supports consistent playing conditions by identifying excess or deficit moisture before it’s visible, improving pitch reliability and safer, more predictable performance.

Supporting sustainable practices

Integrated soil monitoring reduces unnecessary inputs by aligning maintenance with measured conditions. Fertiliser can be applied more effectively using soil temperature and moisture data, while improved moisture control reduces nutrient loss and disease pressure, supporting environmental objectives and long-term soil health. Stored data builds a valuable performance record, supporting drainage assessments, renovation planning, maintenance evaluation, investment decisions, and communication of pitch condition to stakeholders.

Water management in a desert environment

At Desert Springs Resort, all sports turf areas – including the golf course, football pitch and cricket facilities – are irrigated from an on-site man-made reservoir with a capacity of around 56,000m³. This supplies 94 automated sprinkler heads and multiple hosepipe outlets across the cricket ground.

Irrigation is absolutely critical in a desert environment. High year-round temperatures and persistent strong winds mean drought stress can develop rapidly, with water often lost through evaporation and transpiration almost as quickly as it is applied. The reservoir is fed by a combination of fresh and desalinated water, with the balance changing throughout the year. Alongside the resort’s coastal location, this creates elevated soil salinity levels, particularly challenging on the clay-based cricket tables where ryegrass establishment can be difficult.

During summer, the outfield and squares are maintained as 100 per cent warm-season bermudagrass, which offers excellent drought and salt tolerance. However, winter and spring are the busiest periods for cricket, requiring overseeding with cool season ryegrasses. Trials with commonly used European ryegrass varieties proved unsuccessful, as soil salinity levels of around 2000mS restricted establishment and caused wilting.

As a result, research into cultivars used in similar desert climates in the United States led to the adoption of a specialist ryegrass blend with significantly improved drought and salinity tolerance, while still meeting cricket performance requirements. Desert Springs is currently the only cricket ground in Europe to carry out this seasonal transition using these varieties.

Pitch preparation presents challenges comparable to preparing wickets during a prolonged UK heatwave – except these conditions persist for much of the year. Moisture management is critical, as a fully saturated wicket can become completely dry within 24 hours. To counter this, we use carefully timed irrigation, alongside covers, matting and sheets, to retain moisture and limit evaporation caused by sun and wind.

Water is a scarce and valuable resource in the region, with usage closely monitored and forming a significant part of the budget. Sudden weather changes, particularly strong coastal winds, can greatly reduce irrigation efficiency, so the system is often manually operated – sometimes late at night – to maximise uptake and minimise waste.

Water availability and quality remain ongoing challenges, but the resort continues to invest in solutions. Infrastructure upgrades are improving irrigation efficiency, while landscaping projects on the golf course are introducing native, climate adapted plant species.

With support from European Next Generation funding, the resort has received a grant to assist with investment in a planned tertiary treatment system, enabling a more sustainable and reliable irrigation source.

Tom Nutting - Head Cricket Groundsman Desert Springs Resort

Best Practice Guide

STRI Group has launched a new Racecourse Water Management: Best Practice Guide, providing practical, evidence-led guidance to support consistent, high-quality racing surfaces in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

Primarily aimed at Clerks of Course and grounds teams, the guide is also relevant for racecourse executives and decision-makers responsible for planning, investment and risk management. Designed to be accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences, it also serves as a valuable training resource for staff new to racecourse operations.

The guide can be downloaded on STRI’s website: strigroup.com/racecourse-water-management-best-practice-guide-launched-download-here

Click here for Part 1