Stuart Z. Cohen, Thomas E. Durborow, and N. LaJan Barnes ACS Symposium Series 522 Pesticides in Urban Environments: Fate and Significance Chapter 19, pp. 214-227©American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 2000
Proposed golf course developments usually require environmental impact statements in the U.S. Concerns about ground water, surface water, and near-shore coastal water quality and wetlands often require state-of-the-art risk assessments and complex computerized simulation modeling. It is extremely important to obtain site-specific data for these risk assessments. Thus soil sampling, test borings, stream surveys, and coastal surveys are often done. Daily weather records are obtained or generated. The new PRZM-VADOFT model pair is used for leaching assessments, even though nonlinear adsorption isotherms cannot be used. The SWRRBWQ model is difficult to use but it is appropriate for the modeling of complex drainage patterns at the basin and sub-basin scale, as with golf courses. Annual and storm-event runoff values are computed for pesticides, nutrients, runoff water, and sediments. It is best used for areas expected to experience appreciable runoff. EXAMS II provides useful predictions of stream water quality. An uncertainty analysis is a critical but often overlooked part of modeling. These results help fine tune proposed turf management programs and may indicate the need for design changes. Risk assessments in Hawaii are especially complex; they often indicate the need for detention basins.