UC Santa Cruz closes athletic field due to drought conditions

UC Santa Cruz officials have closed one of the athletic fields as of this week due to drought conditions.

The Upper East Field was closed Tuesday and will likely remain closed until June. Those closure comes as a result of water rationing efforts on campus in light of the statewide drought and the watering restrictions implemented by the city of Santa Cruz.

A water working group on campus has been meeting since February to prioritize water use at the university to comply with the Stage 3 Water Emergency declared by the city officials. As a result, irrigation to the Upper East Field was reduced by 45 percent starting in May.

Campus officials say that while every effort was made to maintain the integrity of the field, without adequate irrigation, the field has deteriorated rapidly.

The athletics department has decided to close the field to prevent further damage to the turf and structure of the field, and to prevent possible injury until the field can be restored.

The all-weather walking/jogging track around the Upper East Field will still be accessible while the field is closed.

Santa Cruz High School had to close their football field last month for the same reason. The team will play Pajaro Valley High School Friday night, Sept. 5 at the Cabrillo College field.