Program Overview

Irrigation and Drainage Course

The Irrigation and Drainage course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the foundational components of designing, installing, and maintaining irrigation and drainage systems.

Course Overview

In this course, students will cover case studies using manual and automated sprinkler systems, sprayers and drip irrigation systems, as well as surface and subsoil drainage systems. The course will also delve into efficiently irrigation and drainage principles and practices for a variety of crops, environmental conditions, and soil types in the Pacific Northwest.

What You'll Learn

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Solve the physics associated with irrigation system and drainage design and troubleshooting (i.e., power, pressure, friction, and flow).
• Dissect and identify the various irrigation water sources and components of an irrigation and drainage system.
• Conduct an irrigation audit, assess the irrigation uniformity value resulting from this audit, and identify methods for improving the irrigation uniformity.
• Analyze and explain the effects of soil physical properties, environmental conditions, and water quality on irrigation and drainage, and identify methods for improving irrigation application, as well as poor soil and water quality.
• Select the appropriate irrigation rates, frequencies, and timing associated with turfgrass in the PNW.

Turfgrass Management Program

This course is part of the Turfgrass Management Program, which includes the following component courses:

• Introduction to Turfgrass Management
• Introduction to Golf Course Management
• Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety
• Irrigation and Drainage
• Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Suppression Using Fungicides
• Turfgrass Mathematics
• Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management

Course Details

• The course is primarily designed for those working in northern climates such as Oregon and Washington, Europe, Scandinavia, and parts of Canada.
• Course concepts may apply to other climate zones, and some information on warm-season grasses is also covered.

Course Hours and GCSAA Class A Credits

The following table outlines the course hours and GCSAA Class A credits for each component course of the Turfgrass Management Program: | Course Title | Course Hours | GCSAA Class A Credits | | --- | --- | --- | | Introduction to Turfgrass Management | 30 | 3 | | Introduction to Golf Course Management | 36 | 3.6 | | Pesticide Applicator Education and Safety | 18 | 1.8 | | Irrigation and Drainage | 21 | 2.1 | | Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Suppression Using Fungicides | 30 | 3 | | Turfgrass Mathematics | 36 | 3.6 | | Turfgrass Insects and Weed Management | 36 | 3.6 |

Course Schedule and Format

• The course is offered in the winter semester, with two sessions: January 5 - February 15, 2026, and February 23 - April 5, 2026.
• The course is 6 weeks long, asynchronous, and online.
• The total cost is $325, plus a $70 registration fee.

Instructors

The course instructors include:

• Dr. Alec Kowalewski, Associate Professor at Oregon State University, with over 17 years of research experience in turfgrass management.
• Charles Schmid, Ph.D., Faculty Research Associate at Oregon State University, with over 15 years of experience conducting research focused on cultural management practices for golf course turf.
• Emily Braithwaite, Faculty Research Assistant at Oregon State University, with research focusing primarily on managing turfgrass diseases.