Drought

Widespread rains were received across the Texas Panhandle. The rainfall put a stop to small grain silage harvesting, but the moisture was beneficial for planting peanuts and cotton. The recent rains helped the soil moisture profile, and fields were in good condition. Most counties in the district reported adequate soil moisture. Temperatures and rainfall gave producers a little more confidence about planting crops. The forecast called for more rainfall over the next week which could slow down planting progress. Pastures and rangeland were in poor to good condition. Grasses and forbs benefited from the rains, and livestock were in good condition. Supplemental feeding continued on a small scale. Producers finished cutting and bailing hay which will help replenish hay supplies. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 23, 2023 Parts of the Panhandle received scattered showers with totals from 0.5-1.5 inches. Most counties reported very short to short topsoil and subsoil moisture, while a small percentage reported adequate soil moisture. More rainfall was needed to fill the soil profile. Recent rains improved pastures, rangeland and winter wheat and oat fields, but their overall condition was very poor to fair. Livestock were in good condition with supplemental feeding taking place on a small scale. Producers were baling hay fields, while some have turned cattle out on wheat ground. Some producers began planting peanuts. Producers were considering planting cotton with more rain in the forecast. The rain was beneficial to dryland and irrigated small grains in the area. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 9, 2023 The majority of the wheat in the Texas Panhandle will not be harvested as it simply cannot recover. The wind and sandstorm earlier this year severely damaged or completely destroyed many wheat fields. Pastures remain very dry as summer nears. Texas Farm Bureau (Waco), April 28, 2023 Rain was needed across the Texas Panhandle. Rains up to 0.25 of an inch were reported in the southeastern part of the region. Producers were preparing fields for spring plantings with fertilizing and pre-watering. The soil moisture profile remained low across much of the region. The winter wheat crop was going downhill with each windy day, and most fields were in very poor to poor condition. Irrigated wheat was doing better than dryland fields, but pivots were having a hard time keeping up with water needs. Some producers were bailing or grazing winter wheat. Insect pressure was high with increased Russian wheat aphid pressure in some counties. The small grain silage harvest was underway and expected to become more active soon. Corn, sorghum and cotton planting was expected to begin soon. Cow/calf producers were feeding more on rangelands, but in several counties the cow/calf pairs were going to market due to lack of forage availability. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 25, 2023 Drought conditions persisted across the Panhandle of Texas. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to short. Another big wind event exacerbated the loss of soil moisture, and the effects of winds were noticeable on non-irrigated small grain crops. Winter wheat and oat conditions were very poor to fair. Winter wheat appeared to be responding to irrigation. Dryland wheat will not be harvestable. The district will need precipitation going into the spring planting and growing seasons. The overall condition of pasture and rangeland was very poor to poor. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 11, 2023

Daytime temperatures in Far West Texas were in the upper 70s to lower 80s with overnight temperatures in the 60s. Sporadic showers improved soil moisture in parts of the district. There were some reports of 0.5-2.5 inches of rainfall. Planting was delayed by moisture, and the planting window was tightening. Some producers were planting cotton to take advantage of the moisture, but not all fields were prepared for planting. Farmers were still listing fields and having to relist fields due to heavy wind erosion. Producers were optimistic about rangeland conditions for the summer and fall. Weeds were becoming more of a problem, as growers did not have time to spray weeds and plant at the same time. Pasture grasses were beginning to green up for the first time in a long time. Livestock were in poor to fair condition, and producers were still providing supplemental feed. Rio Grande project water was available to producers in El Paso County who had been using well water or effluent from the city. Pima and upland cotton stands looked excellent. Alfalfa looked fair, and later-planted stands were a bit weedy. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 23, 2023 Overnight temperatures in Far West Texas were in the mid-50s with daytime temperatures ranging from the high 80s to mid-90s. Most areas were still experiencing extreme drought conditions. The district desperately needed forecasted rain to improve rangeland and cropland soil moisture conditions. High winds caused soil erosion. Trace amounts of rainfall were reported. Northeastern parts of the district received up to 1.2 inches of rain. Hail generated in storms caused significant damage to cotton and watermelon fields and pecan orchards. Dryland wheat and cover crops were extremely poor. However, irrigated wheat looked decent. Producers were preparing to plant cotton, but acres were expected to be minimal due to drought conditions. Corn made good progress, but watermelons were struggling so far. Upland and Pima cotton in the Rio Grande Valley was planted and mostly emerged. Those fields looked good. Alfalfa farmers were making their first cuttings. Producers cut wheat for hay. Rangeland conditions were not improving, and pastures that received some rain were showing slight improvement. Some livestock were in poor condition, and producers continued to supplement their diets. Calving, kidding and lambing were almost complete. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 9, 2023 Rain showers in Far West Texas delivered trace amounts of rain up to almost half an inch. Winds reached beyond 30 mph. Constant winds contributed to the lack of soil moisture. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were short to adequate. Final decisions were being made on wheat fields. Irrigated wheat looked decent enough that it will likely go to harvest. Dryland fields posed more difficult decisions because most were in very poor condition and likely complete losses. A handful of dryland fields have some potential to make it to harvest, but also may have very low yield potential. The soil temperature was finally warming up, and corn was getting established and starting to take off. Rangeland and pasture conditions were improving. Mesquite have begun to green up, however there was still not much grass or weed growth. Brush encroachment continued to be a problem in grazing fields. Livestock were in poor condition and being fed. A fire burned almost 3,000 acres. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 11, 2023

Rainfall amounts in West Central Texas averaged 1-4 inches. Soil moisture levels were improving. Some stock tanks caught water. Conditions were relatively warm. Cotton planting was following the moisture. The moisture helped sorghum and corn growth significantly. Warm-season grasses were flourishing, and some warm-season forage fields and pastures were being fertilized and sprayed for weeds. Small grains were being cut and baled. Wheat farmers were harvesting grain, and fair yields were reported. Some wheat producers reported above-average yields. Sudan grass looked good, and Coastal Bermuda grass was taking off under warmer temperatures. Forage sorghum planting continued, and early planted fields were in excellent condition. The pecan crop was off to a good start. Rangeland and pastures benefited from recent moisture and continued to show improvement. Spring cattle work continued. Livestock looked good, but some light dietary supplementation continued. Cattle prices and demand remained strong. Some freeze damage in turfgrasses and some trees was reported. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 23, 2023 Parts of West Central Texas received 0.5-2 inches of rainfall. Windy conditions were drying out fields, and some field preparations were made. Many producers put out fertilizer on Coastal Bermuda grass fields before the rains. Pastures were trying to green up but needed more rain. Rangeland conditions were declining. Warm-season grasses were slow to emerge due to cooler temperatures. Cattle were being fed hay and supplements. Stock ponds were low. Cattle markets remained good to excellent. Stocker steers sold steady and feeder steers were $4-$5 higher per hundredweight. Feeder heifers were $5-$8 higher per hundredweight. Oats and wheat were being cut and baled. Bales were selling for up to $125. Corn and sorghum emerged, but both needed rain. Preparations continued for cotton planting. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 25, 2023 Very windy conditions were reported in West Central Texas. Some areas received trace amounts of rain up to 1 inch. Soil moisture levels continued to decline in most areas from dry, windy conditions. Most oat fields have plants adding seed heads and most wheat was starting to head out or in the boot stage. Some oat fields were being cut and baled. All small grain fields needed rainfall. Most producers were grazing wheat or planning to cut and bale it. Producers were fertilizing and spraying herbicides in hay fields. Pasture and rangeland conditions continued to improve and provide good grazing for livestock. Livestock were being worked and sold. Most cattle looked good, but many looked thin. Cattle markets remained up. Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2-$3 higher per hundredweight. Packer cows were $3-$4 higher per hundredweight. Kids, lambs and calves were being weaned early due to lack of grass. Livestock water sources were critically low. Some sorghum and Sudan grass were being planted. Corn had emerged in fields. Field preparations continued for cotton. Catkins were prevalent in pecan trees. Wildfire conditions increased with one fire burning 248 acres and now at 90% containment. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 11, 2023

Temperatures in Southwest Texas remained seasonably cool. Most areas received 1-1.75 inches of rainfall, which improved soil moisture levels. Earlier planted sorghum fields were heading. Pollination was underway in corn fields. Vegetable gardens were doing well. Oats and wheat harvest were underway, but some producers were delayed by rain. Rangeland and pasture conditions were improving, and warm-season grasses were growing. Grazing conditions were fair overall. Spring flows improved following the rainfall. The moisture slowed hay cutting. Hay crops looked good, and cutting and baling activities were underway where possible. Beef cattle body condition scores averaged 4-5. Livestock and wildlife were in fair to good condition and supplemental feeding was light. Cooler weather and a chance of rain was in the forecast. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 23, 2023 Thunderstorms delivered large amounts of rain quickly. Some Southwest Texas counties reported hail. Some areas did not receive moisture. Conditions continued to decline. Widespread cloud coverage and relatively moderate temperatures slowed moisture losses, but 100 degree days were reported at the end of the week. Some tanks caught a good deal of water. No major crop or livestock hail damage was reported. Pasture conditions were good in some areas, however forage density in some pastures was not ideal. Producers were spraying weeds and fertilizing improved pastures. Rangelands remained dry, and significant acres were destocked and being cleared of brush to open areas for grazing. Livestock and wildlife were in good shape. Sheep shearing continued. Corn and sorghum fields were tillering and looked good. Some corn started tasseling. All irrigated crops looked good. Oat pastures were maturing with wheat harvesting right around the corner. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), May 9, 2023 Parts of Southwest Texas reported no rain up to 3 inches, and more precipitation was in the forecast. Some flooding was reported. Recent rains should help planted dryland crops and ease irrigation demands. The rain should also improve pasture and rangeland conditions. Creeks and ponds were still low. Much of the dryland wheat was disked under, and the remaining irrigated wheat should yield well. Relatively cool temperatures and overcast skies mitigated soil moisture losses but were holding back grass growth. Row crops benefited from recent rains and fertilizer applications. There were some reports of rust in wheat and oats, and producers were spraying fungicide. Producers were fertilizing and controlling weeds in pastures and hay fields. Corn and sorghum looked good with the rain. Livestock conditions were fair to good and continued to receive feed. Wildlife were in good shape, and several turkey sightings were reported. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 25, 2023 Many areas of Southwest Texas received some moisture with amounts ranging from a trace to 2 inches. Temperatures were slightly above average. The moisture should improve conditions for all agricultural operations, but more rain was needed. Runoff-producing rains were needed to fill stock tanks. Pastures and rangelands were showing signs of improvement but burn bans remained in some counties. Livestock were in good condition. Corn and sorghum emerged and looked good. Irrigated crops looked good. Sheep and goat markets were down last week while the cattle market remained high. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 11, 2023

Residents of Cape Coral were asked to conserve water as rainfall was 5.9 inches below the seasonal average. The city increased code compliance monitoring to make sure than outdoor watering was only occurring at the designated times. FOX4Now (Cape Coral, Fla.), May 25, 2023

The Mountain View City Council ended the stage 2 water emergency in effect since June 28, 2022. Mountain View Voice (Calif.), May 25, 2023 The Mountain View city council declared a water shortage emergency to curb water use and assigned certain irrigation days. The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.), June 30, 2022

Jackson County commissioners voted unanimously to request a drought declaration from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek. While the county has received average precipitation and above average snowpack, it remained in moderate drought. There also may be competition over the water in Fourmile Lake. Jefferson Public Radio (Ashland, Ore.), May 24, 2023

Decades of drought and overpumping of the aquifers have made the San Luis Valley very dry and increased the levels of heavy metals in the water. Arsenic levels in San Luis Valley groundwater are “markedly higher than [in] many other areas of the U.S.,” according to an epidemiologist and engineer researching arsenic levels in the region. A small fraction of wells shows elevated levels of heavy metals, like arsenic, uranium, tungsten, and manganese, which occur naturally in the soil. During dry episodes, arsenic concentrations in water can increase or fluctuate. NPR (Washington, D.C.), May 22, 2023

The Central Oregon Fire Chiefs Association closed open debris burning for residential and private lands across the tri-county region in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties at sunset on Wednesday, May 31. The area was still in drought as summer wildfire season neared. KTVZ-TV News Channel 21 (Redmond, Ore.), May 24, 2023

The Edwards Aquifer Authority has moved from Stage 3 water restrictions to Stage 2, allowing cities and other entities to curb their pumping by 30% rather than 35%. Recent rainfall improved water levels in the Edwards Aquifer. From January to March 2023, the Edwards Aquifer's water levels dipped to their lowest levels since the record drought of the 1950s. San Antonio Express-News (Texas), May 23, 2023

Water and wastewater revenues in Healdsburg were sharply reduced this year, due to mandatory reductions in water use to conserve water. The financial shortfall led the city to freeze two vacant Utility and Public Works positions and defer infrastructure maintenance. As of March 31, the end of the third quarter, both funds were behind in revenue, down 10% to date, for a combined $1.09 million loss over projections through that period. To compensate for the shortfalls, spending from the water fund was cut by about $251,000, while spending from the wastewater fund was reduced by about $9,600 for fiscal year 2023-24. Maintenance will be delayed on water fountains, distribution pipes and pumps. Healdsburg operates its own electric utility, which also suffered a shortfall. The electric fund was down by 6% to $9.01 million through the third quarter. Santa Rosa Press Democrat (Calif.), May 22, 2023

The Sand Creek Station golf course is connected to the wastewater treatment plant and uses reclaimed water to keep the greens green. The water is first used by Newton water customers before being treated by the wastewater plant. The water flows down Sand Creek and into the retention pond, where it is drawn up by the sprinkler system to irrigate the grass. Hays, Kansas also uses reclaimed water. KSN-TV News 3 (Wichita, Kan.), May 23, 2023

Crops in eastern Nebraska were suffering from the lack of rain and nonexistent subsoil moisture. Grass that would normally be three feet tall was barely knee-high, making it hard for cattlemen to feed their cattle. WOWT-TV NBC 6 Omaha (Neb.), May 24, 2023

The Edwards Aquifer remained about 25 feet below the 660-foot threshold for the Edwards Aquifer Authority to end drought restrictions for the area. San Antonio received 11.51 inches of precipitation in 2022, about a third of the 33 inches that is normally received. San Antonio Express News (Texas), Jan 27, 2023 The Edwards Aquifer suffered a big decline in its volume, due to drought, forcing 35% restrictions on withdrawals. Groundwater conditions at 18 monitoring wells in Texas showed that water levels decreased in 13 of the 18 monitoring wells in September, compared to conditions in September 2021. In June, the water level at a key indicator well in the Edwards Aquifer fell to the Stage 3 drought level, resulting in a 35% reduction in withdrawals. The Edwards Aquifer segment cited is an aquifer sector which responds to rainfall. And, even following some fall rains, the aquifer remained below the Stage 3 "critical management" level of 640 feet as of Nov. 14. DTN – The Progressive Farmer (Burnsville, Minn.), Nov 22, 2022

Water that is typically available to Clint via the El Paso County Water Improvement District in March was not released until May 12 this year, due to drought. On April 12, the board of directors set the allocation at 2.5 acre-feet. KTSM-TV NBC 9 El Paso (Texas), May 23, 2023

Intense drought has hurt the winter wheat in Kansas, with more than one-fourth of the state’s fields in such dire condition that farmers likely won’t harvest it. While some of the wheat in southwest Kansas never emerged for lack of moisture, fields were being abandoned into eastern Kansas, which typically receives more rain. Drought has also diminished the production on grazing lands, cutting into food supplies and water for cattle. A cattle producer in Harvey County will consider himself fortunate to harvest one-third of the brome grass that he normally feeds his cattle. Another cattle producer with livestock in Morris, McPherson and Lyon counties worries about his stock ponds running out of water. His wheat is better for roughage for the cattle than for harvesting as grain. Without enough grazing crops, farmers must rely on pricey hay for the livestock. Kansas Reflector (Topeka, Kan.), May 23, 2023

Most of McLennan County is free of drought for the first time in nearly 18 months, but Lake Waco remains 9 feet below its normal level. Stage 2 water restrictions were still in effect. The Waco water utilities spokesperson said that the city will likely enter Stage 3 water restrictions sometime this summer. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), May 16, 2023 Waco remained in Stage 2 water restrictions. Lake Waco has risen by one foot over the past three months, but was also 10 feet below its normal level. KWKT FOX 44 News (Woodway, Texas), May 8, 2023 Waco was in Stage 2 water restrictions, and Lake Waco was 57.9% full. Water users were asked to reduce their water use by 10%. KCEN HD (Temple, Texas), March 29, 2023 Lake Waco was 57% full, or 451 feet, as of Feb. 22. Stage three restrictions begin at 450.3 feet, and would permit outdoor watering just once weekly. KXXV-TV ABC 25 Waco (Texas), Feb 22, 2023 The level of Lake Waco continued to drop and could be approaching the Stage 3 trigger of 450 feet in mid-February. Waco has been in Stage 2 restrictions since July. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), Jan 26, 2023 Waco has been in Stage 2 drought restrictions since mid-July, with outdoor sprinkler use limited to twice a week. City officials consider the restrictions successful, even though the lake has continued to drop. City officials stated in late October that Stage 3 restrictions limiting outdoor irrigation to once weekly were likely by mid-November. Under the city’s drought contingency plan, those restrictions take effect when the lake level drops to 449 feet, but city officials have said they might not wait until that threshold. Lake Waco remained 11 feet below normal, despite 3.7 inches of rain in the past week that increased the lake level by about half a foot. Before the rainfall, Lake Waco’s level on Nov. 23 was 451.05 feet above sea level, the lowest since the lake was raised in 2003, said the lake manager from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), Nov 28, 2022 The level of Lake Waco in Texas continued to fall, despite recent rain. The low lake level allowed some work projects and cleanup to be done. Water restrictions took effect on July 13, limiting outdoor watering as the water shortage continued. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), Sept 12, 2022 Mandatory water restrictions began in Waco on July 13 as Stage Two of the Drought Contingency Plan took effect. Outdoor watering was allowed just twice weekly. KWTX-TV 10 News Waco (Texas), July 8, 2022 Waco residents are urged to conserve water and irrigate their lawns just once weekly as the level of Lake Waco was nearly 7 feet below normal, or lower than it has been in a decade or longer. The lake level was about an inch above the trigger of 455 feet for the first stage of the city’s drought management plan. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), July 5, 2022

Cattle sales at the auction in Kingdom City were about double that from one year ago as tremendous prices and short hay supplies led farmers to sell. Fall calves were being sold early to conserve feed for the cows. Grass growth was far less than it ought to be. Brownfield Ag News (Jefferson City, Mo.), May 18, 2023

Some of the wheat crop in Kansas is blue from lack of moisture. The plants would typically be knee-height at this time of year, but many were merely shin-high. Some plants were yellow. Many plants were too small and damaged to be worth harvesting. The spikelets that would normally contain kernels were pale and shriveled, and held no grain. This year’s yield was anticipated to be lower than last year’s. Wheat supply issues leave domestic wheat prices so high that the U.S. was buying European wheat. Chicago Tribune (Ill.), May 18, 2023

Estimates for Nebraska’s wheat crop include a significant drop in production and an uptick in abandoned acres. Due to drought, the crop is short, and stands are thin, according to the executive director with the Nebraska Wheat Board. The crop is estimated at 30 million bushels, down from an average of about 50 million. About 10% will be abandoned. The tour found yields ranging from 25 to 35 bushels per acre, while yields in the southern Panhandle were 40 bpa. The quality should be average to good due to drought stress. Brownfield Ag News (Jefferson City, Mo.), May 18, 2023