Water Quality of Non-Tidal Chesapeake Bay Streams in Virginia As Affected By Golf Courses.

Golf course turfgrass management has been identified as a possible source of Chesapeake Bay nutrient pollution. Our investigations included (1) the role of golf course turfgrass management in nutrient deposition or attenuation in local streams, and (2) estimations of total nitrogen (N) discharging to the watershed from stream outlets as a function of land use and watershed area. Total N, nitrate-N, ammonium-N, phosphate-phosphorus (P), streamwater temperature, specific conductance (SpC), pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) were sampled during baseflow at seven golf courses in the James River watershed. Unit-area loads (UALs) for total N were calculated from nutrient and discharge data at outflow locations. These UALs were compared to Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model simulated UALs for corresponding watershed segments. No consistent impairment trends were detected for temperature, SpC, pH, or DO. Outflow NO₃-N was <10 mg L^-1 EPA drinking water standard. However, some sites may be at increased risk for benthic impairment with total N > 2 mg L^-1. Significant outflow nitrate-N increases were measured at three sites, whereas decreases were measured at two. Ammonium-N significantly decreased at two sites. Golf course N UALs calculated from baseflow monitoring were lower than or similar to UALs estimated for forests in the associated watershed segment at six of ten sites. Golf course UALs ranged from 1.3 to 87 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1. In most cases in this study, presence of golf courses did not appear to significantly degrade baseflow water quality of associated streams. Intensity of inputs for turfgrass management appears to be an influencing factor on water quality and concerns may be heightened in urban areas.