Water composes from 75 percent to 85 percent of the weight of a healthy grass plant. It is essential for seed germination, tissue formation, plant cooling, food manufacture, and nutrient absorption and transport. A grass plant loses the most water under conditions of high light intensity, high temperature, low relative humidity, and windy conditions. Without adequate water, the grass plant can't cool itself and becomes susceptible to wilting, desiccation, and death.

Every spring, turf managers are faced with the dilemma of having to provide safe and aesthetically pleasing athletic fields while turfgrasses are not actively growing. Sports field managers must wait for consistently warm weather before grasses resume active growth. Although Mother Nature dictates most aspects of field recovery potential, several steps can be taken to optimize the chances of providing the best and safest playing conditions possible once the fall playing season is complete.