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PUBLIC & OPEN SPACES
Natural Turf Facilities
The capital investment required to construct a number of synthetic sporting fields is such that all councils will be required to maintain a number , if not the majority , of natural turf sporting fields . Design , irrigation , drainage , natural light and usage levels are the key factors in maintaining these facilities at an optimum standard .
Improved design of new or upgraded facilities should all include profiles which efficiently remove water from playing surfaces during and following a rain event . This should also include subsurface drainage .
Recommendations for the Drainage of Playing Fields
SURFACE DRAINAGE ;
1 . Grade playing field to a slope the sport will allow , 1- 2 % is recommended from the centre line crown out to the sidelines .
2 . Provide surface ditches and / or flow diversions around the field , ensure that surface water has a removal path ( open channel or stormwater ).
3 . Absolutely no depressions in field .
SUBSURFACE DRAINAGE I . Poor to good draining soils ( clay loam — loam ).
i . Spacing of drains - 10 to 18 m . In heavy use areas ( goal areas , sidelines ) - 1.5 to 10 m .
ii . Depth of drain - 45 to 75 cm ( note this will not allow a football field of 160 yards to be drained at a 0.5 % grade with continuous long axis pipe . If long axis drainage is planned it most he done in two separate header sections ).
iii . Grade of drains - 0.35 to 1.0 % ( laterals ) and 0.5 to 1.0 % ( mains ).
iv . Trench backfill - 3 / 4 in . gravel is best with 10 % less than No . 60 sieve and 100 % less than l -1 / 2 in . to reduce the number of lost days to wet weather and improve turf quality over winter .
( see image 1 and 2 )
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GOVLINK » ISSUE 1 2017
Image 2