The Town of Pincher Creek has approved $178,500 to expand the Pincher Creek golf course irrigation pond. The project is expected to do more than keep the greens alive — giving the course 30 to 40 days of irrigation storage during drought, while potentially serving as an emergency water source for wildfire response.

Council passed the funding request during its Aug. 24 regular meeting, after hearing from Golf Club Society representatives about the project.

The money will be drawn from the golf course reserve fund, set aside by a previous council specifically for irrigation improvements at the course. It currently has a balance of $261,015.

Jason Bruns, an executive with the society, told council the project stems from a drought two years ago that nearly cost the course its greens.

“If we [lost the greens], it would be devastating to the golf course. It wouldn’t be feasible to rebuild all that,” he said.

The society’s written request states that during periods of high demand the existing pond provides only a limited supply of water. Depending on which areas of the course are being irrigated, the supply can last only a few days.

The project will expand the pond and add a high-durability liner. Bruns said the liner would make it easier to remove silt, control weeds and allow the pond to be cleaned out every couple of years.

The society received three quotes from local companies. The funding request included $90,000 for construction and excavation, $72,500 for the pond liner and $16,000 for engineering services.

With the expansion, the society expects 12 to 15 days of storage when irrigating greens, tee boxes and fairways, increasing to 30 to 40 days when irrigation is restricted to greens and tee boxes.

Wendy Desjarlais, vice-president of the golf course board, said the expanded pond would hold about five times the current capacity.

She said the additional storage could also benefit other recreational facilities that draw from the same water source, including Matthew Halton Field, which would keep water accessible during a drought.

“The size we’re looking at could potentially be used for a dipping site for helicopters in a wildfire situation, which could also be very helpful when things are really bad,” she said.

Bruns recalled a wildfire south of Pincher Creek several years ago when a helicopter struggled to find a nearby water source.

The expansion could also help the course deal with early-season water needs. Bruns said Alberta Environment does not provide water before mid-April. A larger pond could hold water through the winter to supply the course as it prepares for the season.

Desjarlais said the greenskeeper has used a personal tank to haul water and hand-water the greens during difficult conditions.

The society also said the expanded pond would reduce the course’s reliance on the town’s municipal water supply during peak demand.

Desjarlais said the pond draws dog walkers and snowshoers in winter, and the society has discussed adding waste-bag stations for pet owners. She said the greens are tarped for winter, which helps keep foot traffic off sensitive turf.

Bruns said the existing pond has been silting in for years and holds only about six feet of water at its centre, narrowing sharply away from the middle.

Council raised technical questions about the design.

Coun. Gordon McMullen asked whether the society had accounted for problems the Town of Taber had with a similar pond liner, where groundwater pushed the liner upward when the pond wasn’t kept full year-round. Desjarlais said engineers have already reviewed the design.

Mayor Wayne Oliver asked how much deeper the pond would be once finished. Bruns said the increase would be modest, since the system relies on gravity-fed suction to the pumps.

Coun. Brian McGillivray asked about long-term irrigation needs, recalling that during a previous council term the golf club had discussed a much larger remediation project estimated at more than $700,000.

Oliver said changes to the pump system had reduced the need for that larger project. The course replaced its older on-off pumps with variable-speed, soft-start models, letting it keep the existing irrigation setup rather than replacing it.

Several councillors called for stronger financial reporting, given the size of the request. Coun. Valerie Wynder supported a clear agreement because the money is taxpayer-funded and asked for a process outlining how the funds would be spent and what reporting would be required.

Chief administrative officer Konrad Dunbar said the town would normally require invoices or other documentation showing payments went toward the approved work, and said a short written agreement could formalize that.

Coun. Sahra Nodge said the golf course arrangement differs from some past funding models, since the town pays contractor invoices directly, rather than transferring money to the society.

She noted past instances of unclear invoicing and said she hopes the society will pursue outside grant opportunities for future projects in addition to drawing on the reserve.

“It’s probably a good idea to have some kind of document or agreement or even a one-pager on what each party is agreeing to around this just for clarity’s sake,” she said.

Nodge added that she had reservations the last time a version of the project came before council, tied to an earlier well proposal, but said updated engineering information addressed those concerns.

“Given what we’re seeing with the fluctuations in precipitation, having some more water storage capabilities within the town is good,” she said.

Project completion is expected by the end of this golf season, with the goal of finishing before winter so the expanded pond is ready for the 2027 season.

Along with approving the funding, council directed administration to draft a separate agreement with the society, outlining the invoice and payment process.