Good Afternoon,
The pond was finally pumped down to a level where we could evaluate the 24″ intake going into the pumphouse wet well. The outcome is not good at all. The around the intake area has completely silted covering the line. The wet well has muck over two feet deep in the bottom.
Mark White and Craig Poulsen met with me this morning to discuss how we proceed forward with the problem. After lengthy discussion and many different scenarios we all agree the pond needs to be pumped down to a minimal depth. We moved the large trailer pump from Viola out to the golf course to start the process. It is being set up and ready to start pumping as I type this email.
The pond is currently 3-4 feet deep and needs to be dropped 2-3 feet to expose the entire intake line. The pump will start running now and go until the pond level is dropped. Sunday I plan to meet with Adam DeLoss to discuss excavating around the 24″ intake line in the pond. We will have a visual on the intake and be able to make a game plan.
We need to drain the pond and excavate around the 24″ intake in the pond. After excavation we will have more discussion and make a long term decision and not a short term quick fix. It’s been 20 years since the construction and we want our decision to think at least that far into the future.
This has been a day that goes far beyond stress for me. This was an extremely difficult decision to make but there is no other option. I know this is the Spencer Municipal Golf Course but I frequently refer to it as “my golf course” because that’s how much I care about the place. It feels very helpless right now but thankfully some great people have helped start the process on a Friday afternoon so we don’t have to wait until Monday.
Having no irrigation is extremely scary and literally makes me want to cry. My staff and I will need to find access to water tanks with pumps so we can water greens by hand through this process. The rest of the course will not be irrigated obviously. Once the repairs are completed it will take at least five or six days to fill the pond to a level where we can irrigate.
Please be patient with us and also contact me if you have questions.
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Brian C Mohr
Director of Golf Operations
City of Spencer
Spencer Municipal Golf Course
Spencer, Iowa 51301712-260-5370
Spencer Municipal Golf Course 