*Assessing the Potential Flood Mitigation Services of a Former Golf Course with a Focus on Flood… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113107*

Buck Creek, utilizing in its design extant floodplain and channel features that were preserved following channelization and levee construction on Buck Creek. **Figure 1** illustrates the topography of the former course. It is higher to the north and generally slopes downward toward the confluence at a gradient similar to the current streams, 0.175 percent or 1.75 m/km. Former channels of Buck Creek are especially evident in **Figure 1**, recognized by their narrow sinuous features. Following closure in 2014, the higher elevations were developed into community gardens, but the lower elevations, which experienced periodic flooding (**Figure 2**), were left fallow. Currently, approximately 40 acres to the north and northeast are mowed to maintain a park-like setting, with a portion of it developed into test gardens for landscape plants and an

#### **Figure 1.**

*DEM of the former Snyder Park golf course in Springfield, Ohio illustrating the floodplain and channel topography on which it was built. The location of monitoring wells and water level loggers used in this study are shown in relation to key features. Following closure in 2014, the higher elevations (brown area to the northeast) were developed into community gardens, but the lower elevations (green and light blue area to the southwest), with periodic flooding, were left fallow. The relatively low, narrow sinuous features are former channel positions of Buck Creek.*

**Figure 2.** *Flooding in March 2020 covered approximately 18 acres of the former course. Buck Creek is separated from the course by a levee.*

arboretum. Walking trails are maintained at lower elevations, but because of the flooding, it is otherwise rewilding with a mix of native and invasive vegetation and noxious weeds.

The former course is underlain primarily by glacial sand and gravel outwash and more recent stream alluvium. Although mapped as Westland silty clay loam [7], its field soil description suggests it is more likely a Tremont silt loam (**Figure 3**). The Tremont silt loam exhibits gleyed colors with reddening around concentrations of organic matter indicative of occasional flooding with a seasonally high-water table. It is rated as a hydric soil. A narrow ridge that runs the length of the southeastern border of the course (**Figure 1**) is underlain by glacial sand and gravel and soil profile development is indicative of an Eldean silt loam. It offers a striking contrast in soil profile development to that of the Tremont silt loam (**Figure 3**).

The decision to focus on water regulation and, specifically, flooding was based on the topographic setting, the extent of hydric soils, and early observations of flooding. When the golf course was in operation, excess water was drained to Mad River through a network of ponds connected by a tile network and two side-by-side, culverts that were installed to drain the golf course to Mad River (**Figure 4**). The culverts are 82.6 cm (30 in) in diameter, approximately 57.0 m (187.0 ft) in length, with a fall of 0.35 m (13.8 in) sloping toward Mad River (**Figure 4**) with a fall of 0.35 m (13.8 in) over that length. Closed flap gates on the Mad River side of the culverts prohibited back-flooding from the Mad River. Following closure, the flap gates were inactivated, in effect hydrologically reconnecting the river to its floodplain under

*Assessing the Potential Flood Mitigation Services of a Former Golf Course with a Focus on Flood… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113107*

#### **Figure 3.**

*Two soils are present on the former SPGC, Eldean (left) and Tremont (right) soil series. The Tremont soil series is rated as a hydric soil in Ohio and comprises more than 98 percent of the former course. The sand and gravel that form the parent material for the Eldean underlie the entire area.*

#### **Figure 4.**

*Illustration of the relation of the culvert between Mad River and the former course showing a stormflow event on Mad River at a higher stage than surface water on the course. The elevations shown are surface water elevation on the former course at peak stormflow elevation on Mad River according to the hydrographs in* **Figure 5***.*

stormflow conditions. The ponds and tile network have not been modified so flow is currently governed by relative elevation of water on Mad River and the former course. The Mad River watershed at this point is 337 sq. km. When Mad River exceeds 50 cm (1780 cfs) at the St. Paris Pike at Eagle City, OH stream gage (USGS gage 03267900) just upstream from the culverts, the stage is sufficient for flow onto the course. Once water floods the course, it is distributed through a series of ponds and water hazards that are connected by a network of culverts at cart crossings and tiles, particularly one connecting pond with a central water hazard (**Figure 1**).
