Surface runoff is a water flow along the surface of the ground that occurs when the soil is saturated, compacted, high in clay particles, or has lost soil structure (large pores). When runoff flows along the ground, it can pick up contaminants (including but not limited to, fertilizers, and petroleum) that then become discharge or nonpoint source pollution. The potential for runoff is greater on steep slopes. Research on golf courses has shown that in areas with minimal slopes, runoff on fairways is less than 5% of rainfall (Easton et al. 2005).
Surface water is the focus of watershed protection because recent research on the environmental impact of nutrients and pesticides applied to golf courses has indicated that for the majority of the acreage under turf management, surface runoff is a much greater concern than leaching. While leaching of certain materials does occur at low levels and under specific environmental and climatic conditions, more materials are transported in surface runoff than through leaching (Baris, R.D. et al. 2010). However, certain areas of New York have a history of groundwater contamination problems.
