I've received numerous responses to my recent blog post about our clogged sprinkler heads (http://qgolfclub.blogspot.ca/2012/09/clogged-sprinklers.html) from industry professionals around the world and it appears as though the most likely pest clogging our sprinklers is something called bryozoans. What exactly are bryozoans you ask? They are aquatic invertebrate animals commonly known as moss animals. They are introduced to golf course lakes and ponds by ducks or geese. These "moss animals" clog irrigation line filters and sprinkler head screens and make it extremely difficult to irrigate effectively and efficiently. Once again, here are a couple photos of a clogged screen at the bottom of one of our sprinkler heads that we inspected last week:
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| severely clogged screen |
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| volume and pressure greatly reduced with clogged screens |
This is the first time I have personally ever heard or dealt with this aquatic pest. We will be sending samples from our irrigation pond and sprinkler head screens to indeed confirm the existence of bryozoans. The treatment methods for them can be quite costly and very time consuming so we must be absolutely sure that they are the cause of the problems before we take the appropriate measures to eradicate them.
I was not surprised to receive the information and advice from other golf industry professionals. Turf maintenance is a very tight-knit industry filled with professionals that are always willing to share experiences and offer advice and possible solutions. Not that I'd ever wish for others to experience turf maintenance issues, but it sure is nice to know we're not alone and that we can learn from the trials and tribulations of others too.
One of these industry professionals, Kyle Marshall (Director of Golf Courses and Grounds at Capital City Club in Atlanta, Georgia), dealt with bryozoans for the first time back in the summer of 2010. Just like us, they thought they were dealing with pond algae clogging their heads before testing of samples confirmed it was bryozoans. Kyle shared with me an article he wrote for his local industry association's newsletter outlining his bryozoan experience and offering some very sound advice and effective solutions. I urge you to take the time to read Kyle's article so you have a better understanding of exactly what we may be dealing with: When Bryozoans Attack: Perils in Your Ponds
After hearing the nightmarish stories in conversations with other Superintendents, our fingers are crossed in hopes that bryozoans are not detected in our test samples, but we are preparing for having to work through and resolve this problem.
Here are some links to more useful information about bryozoans:
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