FORT IRWIN, Calif.-- In time for the spring weather, Fort Irwin's multipurpose field at the corner of Barstow and Inner Loop Roads ("Blue Track") was reopened March 14 after a 5� month, $1.6 million renovation project. The oval field inside the blue track field was completely gutted out to make way for a new foundation and a new type of artificial turf that replaced the grass field.
"Two years ago, the idea was born to save the water we were using to feed the grass and replace it with something commensurate with the people and the quality of the community here," said NTC Commander Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin, before cutting the ribbon to reopen the field.
According to Fort Irwin Directorate of Public Works, during the 2015 fiscal year, from October 2014 to September 2015, about 8.9 million gallons of recycled water was used to irrigate the multi-purpose field's 4,842 square feet of turf. The field was more heavily watered during the summer months, between May and October, said DPW engineer Chris Woodruff. Now, that almost 9 million gallons of water can be used for other purposes, or remain under Fort Irwin for use in future years.
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"Fort Irwin is in the middle of the Mohave Desert and we average about 4.2 inches of rain a year," Woodruff said. Some of it percolates through the sand and rocks to drain towards several of the dry lake in the area. Much of the rain that falls on the desert surface, however, as well as water stored in desert vegetation, escapes into the atmosphere. "Because of our dry winds and summer heat, we lose 70-plus inches of water a year through this process of evapotranspiration," Woodruff explained.
For users of the oval field, besides saving water, the renovation also brought in a much needed improvement. "The old field was very rough and uneven," said Sonia Blodgett, wife of Staff Sgt. Joshua Blodgett, coach for the Fort Irwin's champion soccer team. "There were a lot of holes; sometimes they were not even seen. We would find them because someone was injured."
To smooth out the field, Fort Irwin job order contractor, Infinite Energy Construction, completely ripped out some 3,000 cubic yards of the sand, soil and rocks, replacing them with a 6-inch foundation of �-inch diameter rock, then overlaid it with a 2-inch layer of ⅜-inch rock. The new foundation was topped off with a new type of artificial turf called Cool Turf� that came to market in just the past year.
"A lot of artificial turf facilities use crumb rubber, rubber from recycled scrap tires for the infill," said Jim Howie, project manager for the Fort Irwin Job Order Contract. The infill used on this project is a virgin EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber, which should stand up well to the hot, dry weather and weather extremes of Fort Irwin, said Howie.
Artificial turf technology has advanced over the years, Howie noted. "Years ago, when they first came out with artificial turf, people experienced more sport injuries than today. Due to changes in field construction designs and materials, injuries have been reduced."
Frank Gonzales, JOC project manager for Fort Irwin's Directorate of Public Works, said that the rock substrate has been laid out in a herringbone fashion to help drain the water into the aquifer beneath Fort Irwin. "When we have a torrential downpour, there is a fail-safe design, where the water is captured and sent to a storm drain, but under normal precipitation, the water will percolated into the aquifer."
Use of the Blue Track multipurpose field
Barry Pinsky, chief of recreation for Fort Irwin's Morale, Welfare and Recreation directorate, said the field is used by adult and youth teams alike, including adult and youth soccer, as well as men's and women's flag football teams. Besides the very distinctive NTC logo midfield, the playing field is permanently marked out for soccer and flag football boundaries.
"All lines are permanent," said Pinsky. "No temporary lines can be put on. We don't want to stain the field."
Pinsky noted that to maintain the artificial turf and composite materials, a grooming machine will sweep the field weekly, and also monthly, after the first few months, to turn over the small bits of EPDB rubber loosely embedded into the Sprint Turf, to simulate the "bounce" of natural dirt. The grooming machine will sweep up the loose EPDM material and what dirt, litter, and rocks have settled onto the Cool Turf�, comb out rocks and litter, like the sand cleaning machines used on ocean beaches. The machine has a grass roller to pack down the EPDM bits back into the turf.
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