Beginning September 2, 2014, the Upper East Field has been closed and is expected to remain closed until at least June 1, 2015.
A campus-wide water-working group has been meeting since February to prioritize water use on campus to comply with the Stage 3 Water Emergency declared by the City of Santa Cruz. As a result of campus water-rationing efforts, irrigation to the Upper East Field was reduced by 45 percent beginning May 1, 2014. While every effort was made to maintain the integrity of the field, without adequate irrigation, the field has deteriorated rapidly.
In consultation with Physical Plant, OPERS has decided to close the field to prevent further damage to the turf and structure of the field and prevent participant injury until the field can be restored. The field closure represents the need to begin to address the long-term implications of the severe drought in California and future sustainable practices for water use. OPERS will be enforcing the following programming modifications and policies for the 2014-15 academic year.
- Intramural sports that used to be held on the East Field will be cancelled and alternate sports will be offered in the OPERS facilities that are available.
- Practice times available for NCAA teams and sports clubs will be reviewed and reduced times will be allotted on the Lower East Field and West Field.
- Requests for field rentals from non-campus groups will not be accepted for the 2014-15 academic year.
More information can be found at http://opers.ucsc.edu/facilities/fieldclosure.html on a special Upper East Field information page that will have current updates and information throughout the year.
More information on the campus response to the water emergency can be found at http://www.ucsc.edu/conserving-water/2014-emergency.html
If you have any questions please contact Todd Hammonds, OPERS Associate Director of Facilities & Operations at tmhammon@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-4378.
