Divot Mix

Golf is not just an exercise; it's an adventure, a romance... a Shakespeare play in which disaster and comedy are intertwined. -- Harold Segall

Rain Bird crowns film competition winners

Rain Bird, has announced the winners of the 2008 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, an environmentally focused film competition for both amateur and experienced filmmakers.

Following a screening at The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, in which each of the five finalists’ films were viewed by attendees and judges, filmmakers David Sutera and Michael McGuire were presented with the Jury Prize and the Audience Choice Prize respectively for their film entries titled "Glass Half Full" and "Water Thicker Than Oil."

"All of the finalists in the competition have taken on the world’s water issues through a personal lens that will undoubtedly encourage discussion on the efficient, effective and responsible use of Earth’s most precious resource," said Dave Johnson, corporate marketing director.

As the winner of the Jury Prize, Sutera was awarded $6,000 for his film entry, "Glass Half Full," a mockery of the film noir genre that drives home an important message of water conservation in an entertaining and comedic manner.

McGuire, the Audience Choice Prize winner, was awarded $3,000 for his film entry titled "Water Thicker Than Oil," a simplified approach to water conservation as seen through a child’s eyes

This year’s Jury Award was chosen by a panel of judges consisting of Gary McVey, executive director of the American Cinema Foundation, documentarian Jim Thebaut and Timothy Brick, chairman of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Shalini Kantayya, director of the 2007 Audience Choice Award Winner "A Drop of Life," served as the master of ceremonies for the evening’s event.

All five finalist's entries can be viewed online at http://www.iuowfilm.com/.

Project EverGreen recognizes Bexley, Ohio

Bexley, Ohio made innovative use of plants and landscape materials won this year's Project EverGreen Landscaped Areas Award in the America in Bloom competition.

Each year cities nationwide who actively work towards beautifying their community's green spaces are encouraged to enter the America in Bloom contest. This is the first year of America in Bloom program involvement for the community of 12,200.

"As a community, Bexley demonstrates a commitment to preserving and enhancing green spaces for generations to come," said Den Gardner, executive director of Project EverGreen  Bexley also received second place in the overall America in Bloom competition, out of six cities of comparable size.

Two judges visited each community last summer to observe and evaluate the city's efforts related to floral displays, urban forestry, landscaped areas, turf and groundcover, tidiness, environmental awareness, heritage conservation and community involvement.

The award was presented during the seventh annual America in Bloom Symposium and Awards Program in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 2. For more about Project EverGreen visit www.projectevergreen.com.

Runoff research promotes healthier aquifers

Where rain falls can influence the quality of surface water entering underground reservoirs, according to a collaborative study by the Agricultural Research Service and the University of Arizona.

The scientists are investigating how urban landscapes influence storm runoff and water pollutants. The focus of their study is the greater Tucson metropolitan region, which has quadrupled in size since the early 1960s.

Like many Arizona cities, Tucson is looking into "enhanced stormwater recharge" to capitalize on the region's rare, but intense, downpours. Enhanced recharge is the process of improving groundwater reservoirs with strategic engineering, such as artificial wells to store water or porous pavement that allows more water to trickle into aquifers.
Understanding how housing density affects the region's aquifers can be helpful in identifying the best enhanced-recharge methods for a specific area.

Jean McLain, an ARS microbiologist at the U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center in Maricopa, Ariz., is working with a team of UA scientists, led by Kathleen Lohse of the School of Natural Resources, to examine how housing density affects the levels of nutrients, fecal bacteria, metals and organic pollutants in storm runoff.

They're also researching whether and how those substances enter aquifers. This information is essential for selecting optimal enhanced-recharge methods.
Impervious surface areas, such as paved parking lots, have higher runoff than absorbent surfaces. Preliminary studies show that this allows for less processing of pollutants, leading, in turn, to higher levels of enteric bacteria and nutrients in the water samples.

Ultimately, this collaboration will assist in developing effective best management practices for promoting aquifer water quality. For example, an effective recharge method for the kind of runoff mentioned above might allow the water to slowly filter through the soil, removing pollutants before the water enters underground reservoirs. ARS is a scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.