TerraFlow Case Study

Turf Saturation Slows Training

Standing water on Florida sports fields is normally an infrequent occurrence, since native soils are typically highly-permeable sand. However, a sizeable portion of Grant Field's outfield -- the Toronto Blue Jays Dunedin, Florida spring training field -- experienced prolonged soil saturation after irrigation or rainfall.

"It seemed to take forever for our left and center field areas to dry out, which is highly undesirable during our training periods," says Eric Hansen, Field Superintendent of Grant Field.  "we desperately needed to fix this problem. A thorough investigation revealed that the sandy soil itself was free draining, but an impermeable clay pan barrier existed beneath the surface, The clay pan was restricting ground water movement. We decided that our best option was to install a subsurface drainage system to collect and remove the excess groundwater."

Eric Hansen explained his problem to a local TerraGreen distributor, who was also his source for other grounds maintenance materials. As a result TerraFlow, the modern geocomposite drainage system, became his solution. "Before deciding on TerraFlow, I checked with local golf superintendents who have installed the TerraFlow system, and they all gave favorable reports. As a result we installed about 2,000 feet of 6" TerraFlow in the wettest area, covering about 15,000 square feet," Hansen reports. The installation, all by Hansen's crew, was finished in early October 1995.

TerraGreen's TerraFlow Prefabricated Drainage System combine easier installation and exceptional groundwater collection/discharge performance. With a performance history exceeding a decade, TerraFlow is the most economical, proven alternative to the conventional stone-filled trench drains.