Drought

Kansas wheat has not received much rain in April and was clearly drought-stressed. In western Kansas from Colby to Garden City to Tribune, the wheat is drought-stressed with yellow leaves at the bottom of the stems. “…, at this stage, the wheat plant has already set the total potential kernels that will develop in the wheat head. Any stress from here until harvest will drop that number down, although the impact of the current dry weather and temperature swings will not be realized until the plant is more fully developed.” Dodge City Daily Globe (Kan.), April 21, 2025

Wisconsin has had 526 wildfires that have burned more than 2,000 acres so far in April, which is twice the usual numbers for April. Northern News Now (Duluth, Minn.), April 18, 2025 Wisconsin had a record number of fires in January and February due to the lack of snow. Through April 14, the state has had more than 470 fires, double the average for this time of year. More than 1,900 acres have already burned. Debris-burning has caused almost half of all fires so far this year. Urban Milwaukee (Wis.), April 14, 2025 From the start of 2025 through March 26, Wisconsin has had about 273 wildfires that have charred about 1,593 acres, according to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wildfires Dashboards. Wildfire activity is significantly above the five- and 10-year trends. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wis.), March 26, 2025

Warm, dry weather allowed a northeast Kansas farmer to get corn in the ground. Brownfield Ag Network (Jefferson City, Mo.), April 21, 2025

Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order Monday, April 21, aiming to bolster Utah’s wildfire preparedness and coordination ahead of the anticipated fire season. KSL Newsradio (Salt Lake City, Utah), April 21, 2025

Numerous counties in southeast Minnesota have enacted burn bans. KIMT 3 (Rochester, Minn.), April 16, 2025

The 2025 commercial salmon fishing season in California was closed for an unprecedented third consecutive year, and sportfishing will be restricted to only a few days due to reduced numbers of fish, fishing regulators decided on Tuesday, April 15. The Associated Press, April 15, 2025

Residents of Victoria were asked to voluntarily conserve water as the city entered Stage One of its drought contingency plan. The Guadalupe River was lower than usual. A 1998 water permit restricts water withdrawals from the river when it is low. Crossroads Today (Victoria, Texas), April 16, 2025

The City of Derby was aiming to produce its own water as drought continued to grip the region. Derby has purchased water from Wichita since 2002, but Wichita’s primary source, Cheney Reservoir, was lower than usual. KWCH 12 (Wichita, Kan.), April 15, 2025

Conditions varied greatly across Central Texas. Rainfall was sporadic, and additional moisture was needed. Stock tanks were running low. The moisture resulted in some greening up. The recent freeze knocked back some Bermuda grass. Corn stands were good but freeze burn and moisture stress occurred in some areas and some fields looked uneven. Winter wheat was mostly headed out but remained short and somewhat uneven. Cotton planting began and was expected to continue over the next week. The cattle market remained steady and strong, along with sheep and goat markets. Livestock looked fair on pasture. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 15, 2025 Dry, windy conditions persisted in Central Texas and continued to reduce soil moisture. Widespread showers occurred at the end of the week. In the counties that received more rain, topsoil moisture greatly improved and should help grain and forage sorghum plantings. Some pastures with winter annuals and warm-season grasses made good growth. Local creeks were dry or running low. Irrigated corn looked fair, while dryland stands were uneven or had not progressed. Most dryland grain fields were expected to produce very little. Some rust was observed in wheat, and growers continued to scout and apply treatments. Livestock were in good to fair condition with some supplemental feeding. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 1, 2025 Dry conditions persisted in Central Texas with warm weather. Winds depleted soil moisture levels. High winds and the lack of green grass raised concerns about fire danger. Summer perennials emerged slowly due to dryness. Farmers planted corn. Winter wheat and oats made slow but steady progress, with most livestock turned out on pasture. Some corn and grain sorghum emerged. Cattle prices dropped, while sheep and goat prices held steady. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 18, 2025

The weather remained dry and windy in Southwest Texas, with a mix of temperatures. Some days were quite cool, while others were unseasonably warm, including temperatures that reached the mid-80s. Fire danger remained a concern. Some irrigation wells were dry while others were more productive than last season. Several producers extended their well depths by as much as 80 feet and reconditioned the pumps at the same time. Feed corn continued to emerge. Some slight wind damage was observed in exposed corn, but it was minimal. Pecan trees fully leafed out. Corn and sorghum needed rain soon. Pastures looked greener from the last rain, but some forages declined due to lack of moisture and higher temperatures. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued. Livestock were grazing, but they also sought shade. Many producers sold livestock, and many cows going to market were exceptionally thin. There was also a higher percentage of open cows in herds, likely due to body condition, but overall, livestock were in fair condition. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 15, 2025 Rainfall was reported in Southwest Texas with most areas receiving 0.5-3.5. inches, with some hail reported in isolated areas. Cooler temperatures were also reported, with cloudy skies most of the week and daytime highs in the low 70s on rainy days. Rains produced very little runoff in streams, creeks and rivers. The moisture did improve producer optimism. The rainfall helped both cool- and warm-season forages break dormancy and improved rangeland conditions. Honeybees were feeding on early-blooming trees and spring wildflowers. Mesquites began to leaf out. Row crops were planted, but no emergence was observed yet, but the recent rain should benefit corn and sorghum. Livestock diets were still being supplemented with feed and hay, but grazing was increasing. Livestock markets remained steady to strong. Much more rain was needed to sustain improvements. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 1, 2025 Drought-like conditions persisted in Southwest Texas, with higher temperatures and low moisture. Strong winds throughout the week further dried already parched soils. Wildfire conditions developed in the latter part of the week due to intense winds, though no rangeland damage was reported. Corn and sorghum planting continued. Supplemental feeding of livestock remained necessary, and herds were still in fair condition. Spring lambing and kidding were nearly complete. Livestock were not grazing much due to the lack of forages, though some pastures began to show new growth. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 18, 2025 Rain was needed. Warmer temperatures and mostly sunny conditions encouraged spring greening, but dry conditions persisted, with soil cracking in some areas. More corn farmers than usual preirrigated their fields. Corn planting began in some parts of the district. Signs of drought stress were evident in grasses on yards, rangeland and pastures. Wildfire danger increased due to high winds and low humidity. Landowners prepared for warm-season forage growth with fertilizer applications. Pecan trees showed early bud development. Irrigated crops remained in good condition, while dryland crops suffered. The previous extreme cold slowed Bermuda grass green-up, leaving pastures in poor condition. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued, and body condition scores held up well. Producers continued selling livestock to manage feed costs. Spring lambing, kidding and calving were ongoing. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 4, 2025

Warming temperatures and dry, windy conditions caused moisture loss in Coastal Bend fields and pastures. Cotton and rice producers continued planting crops following delays from recent rain and neared completion, with some replanting of cotton. Temperatures from 46-50 degrees affected emerging cotton, as well as corn and grain sorghum. Corn was in mostly fair to good condition but needed rain. Rangeland and pasture conditions were mostly fair but declined in some areas while others improved quickly and produced forage. Some cattle producers baled excess winter pasture. Cool-season forages faded, and warm-season forages lagged, which caused feeding to increase. Livestock found good forage in some areas, but livestock water ran low in others, which raised concern for some producers. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), April 15, 2025 A heavy frost in the Coastal Bend early in the week set back warm-season pasture growth, while high winds and a lack of rainfall depleted topsoil moisture. Soil conditions worsened as dry weather persisted, with moisture levels becoming critical. Corn planting was nearly complete, with about 50% of fields emerged, and rice planting began with approximately 20% planted. Grain and cotton planting continued, though windy conditions and frequent cold fronts caused some delays. Pastures remained green but showed little growth. Livestock conditions began to decline despite ongoing hay and supplement feeding. Ponds and tanks lost volume due to the lack of runoff from rain. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 18, 2025 February ended as a very dry month in the Coastal Bend, with rainfall totals ranging from 0.30 to 0.80 inches. Warm-season perennial grasses began breaking dormancy, and winter pastures performed well, reducing hay supplementation for beef cattle. However, rainfall remained insufficient across many areas, limiting new pasture growth. Corn and grain sorghum planting continued, though some producers tilled soil to reach moisture. In drier areas, planting slowed or stopped. Corn, sorghum and rice planting began, but rain was needed for upcoming cotton planting. Livestock conditions declined, and supplementation continued as hay supplies dwindled. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 4, 2025

The J-17 index well in San Antonio has fallen to 625.4 feet, the lowest level since 1990 as a multi-year drought has strained rivers, reservoirs and the Edwards Aquifer. Stage 3 restrictions remained in effect for San Antonio Water System customers. Stage 4 restrictions are presently in effect for farmers and pumpers of the Edwards Aquifer, calling for a 40% reduction in pumping. KSAT 12 (San Antonio, Texas), April 15, 2025

Wheat conditions were worsening as the crop broke dormancy and began reproductive growth due to extreme winds and a dearth of rain. Wheat was manifesting drought stress in South Texas and the southern Blackland region. If rain does not fall soon, farmers will have to decide whether to let cattle graze it and forgo a grain harvest or manage it as wheatlage. A Hamilton County grower said that most of the wheat in his area was less than 12 inches high. The wheat was beginning to head, but some fields were already abandoned or grazed out. Average yield is expected to be about 20 bushels per acre, compared to the usual 35 to 45 bpa. Texas Farm Bureau (Waco), April 15, 2025

South Dakota farmers were planting in dry soil with the entire state in some degree of dryness as of April 1. Conditions in Ideal in south central South Dakota were drier than during the 2012 drought. Winter wheat that did not germinate in the fall was just emerging. KSJB AM (Jamestown, N.D.), April 14, 2025

The Water Board of Cambridge changed the city’s drought status from a level three “critical” drought to a level two “significant” drought on Tuesday, April 15. Reservoir levels have risen since November but were still lower than in spring 2024. The Harvard Crimson (Cambridge, Mass.), April 15, 2025 Cambridge was in a Level 3 critical drought condition, so the public was asked to conserve water. The level of the Cambridge Reservoir was falling. While the Environmental Protection Agency recommends that people use no more than 65 gallons of water per day, Cambridge residents on average use 42 gallons. Cambridge has also banned outdoor water use. WBZ CBS Boston (Mass.), Nov 12, 2024

The City of Childress moved to Stage 4 of its Drought Contingency Plan as Greenbelt Lake was only 9% full. The city and Greenbelt Water Authority asked residents to curb their water use by 40%. Under stage 4, all non-essential water usage is prohibited, which includes watering lawns and flowers. KFDA-TV 10 (Amarillo, Texas), April 11, 2025

The Bernardo C. Sandoval Pool will remain closed for the summer of 2025 due to severe drought and water restrictions, after a unanimous decision by the Beeville City Council at its regular April 8 meeting. The pool holds roughly 240,000 gallons of water and requires periodic refilling during the summer. Beeville Bee-Picayune (Texas), April 12, 2025

The fire danger was high to very high in western North Dakota where drought conditions were dire. It was recommended that fireworks, recreational fires and open burning should be prohibited. A wildfire in Adams County near Lemmon had burned about 4,000 acres. WDAY Radio (Fargo, N.D.), April 11, 2025

Much of the wheat in Texas was struggling with drought stress, but conditions varied. Wheat in the Blacklands was okay. The crop at Thrall was so dry in the fall that the wheat emerged late and still continued to struggle. Winter Garden wheat was struggling, but the irrigated crop was alright. San Angelo area wheat that was planted later when it was drier was smaller and struggled as winter set in. Southwest Farm Press (Houston, Texas), April 9, 2025

Much of the wheat in Oklahoma was struggling with drought stress, but conditions varied. Near Stillwater, Oklahoma, the wheat needed moisture. Germination was poor at the Chickasha OSU research station in Oklahoma. Parts of southwest Oklahoma were seeing brown wheat mites, which thrive in dry, warm weather. Given the drought, farmers were reluctant to spray since the crop already has a low yield potential. Southwest Farm Press (Houston, Texas), April 9, 2025