Salinity and Turfgrasses after a Disaster

Publication Number 490-315, August 1996

General

The surge of salt water brought inland by a hurricane has the potential to cause much damage to turfgrasses on lawns, golf courses, sod farms, parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and other recreation sites.

Here are some suggestions to help turf managers overcome salt water damage to turf. Irrigation with clean, sodiumfree, fresh water is probably the most important thing to do to rinse accumulated salts from turf leaf surfaces and to leach salts from root zones of soils.

1. Test all irrigation water sources for salinity. If the irrigation lake has been flooded with salt water, pump it out and fill with clean river or well water. Or, irrigate from the well or river if they are not contaminated with salt.
2. Bermuda, zoysia, creeping bent, and St. Augustine turfgrasses have good salinity tolerance.
   Tall fescue and perennial ryegrass have medium salinity tolerance.
   Red fescue and Kentucky bluegrass have poor relative salinity tolerance.
3. Repeated irrigation with water containing 1200 ppm total soluble salts will be harmful to the turf unless followed by sufficient rainfall or fresh irrigation water. Even irrigation water containing 500 to 600 ppm total soluble salts, when used repeatedly without being flushed with fresh water from rainfall or irrigation, can create a problem by allowing salts to accumulate in the root zone of the soil.
4. If it is overseeding time, remember that turf type perennial ryegrasses have only medium tolerance to salinity. Test the soils for salinity before overseeding to avoid a loss in stand of winter cover.
5. Gypsum (calcium sulfate, 18 percent sulfur, 20 percent calcium) can be used to help leach salt from the soil. Gypsum works best when incorporated into the soil, but it can be broadcast on the surface. Gypsum is not very soluble in water but it is more soluble than limestone. Irrigate after gypsum application to move it into the soil surface and root zone of the turf. Allow a few hours for the chemical reaction, then continue irrigation to leach the salts into soil below the root zone. Poorly drained soils will be difficult to leach. Water logging the soil for extended periods of time can be as harmful to the turf as excess soluble salts. Core aerification or deep tine aerification, preferably with coring tines, can greatly improve infiltration and percolation of water and salts through the soil and below the root zone.

Based on information developed by Clemson Cooperative Extension following Hurricane Hugo. Revised for Virginia audiences by Virginia Cooperative Extension.

For more information, contact your local office of Virginia Cooperative Extension.

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