Drought

Crops looked fairly good in Carver County, despite a summer of extreme drought. Timely rains helped and favorable fall weather allowed farmers to harvest early. Oats, however, were used for straw instead of being harvested as yields were low. Severe drought hurt crops in counties to the north and southwest where dairy and produce farms were ravaged. The corn yield should be down 13 bushels per acre, compared to 2020, according to the USDA. Some varieties of apples were small, due to drought, while other varieties were fine. The lack of rain this fall was helpful for drying crops in the field, saving farmers money on propane. HometownSource (Coon Rapids, Minn.), Nov 11, 2021

Drought-stressed canola that cannot be harvested could be an alternative forage option for cattle. AgUpdate (Tekamah, Neb.), Nov 9, 2021

Drought along West Coast has reduced the number of wetlands and waterways available for migratory birds that need those stops for rest and nourishment, with many of the Pacific Flyway stops being eliminated in California. The Klamath refuges held little water and the winter rice fields in the Sacramento Valley offers far less habitat this year for hungry, weary birds. Cal Matters (Sacramento, Calif.), Nov 10, 2021 The lack of water for California rice growers in the Sacramento Valley also will mean less inviting habitat for birds along the Pacific Flyway as millions of migratory birds typically stop in rice fields to eat and rest on their journeys south. Bloomberg Green (New York), July 27, 2021

Wichita County commissioners extended a burn ban on Dec. 20 as drought worsened in North Texas. Wichita Falls Times Record News (Texas), Dec. 20, 2021

The Hale County Commissioners Court voted to enact a 90-day burn ban which took effectively immediately on Dec. 13. Commissioners also implemented a ban on restricted fireworks, such as aerial or projectile ones. The neighboring county of Swisher also had a burn ban. Plainview Daily Herald & My Plainview (Texas), Dec 16, 2021

The California Water Commission proposed constructing a new lake in Northern California that would hold enough water for 3 million households in one year. This lake, to be called Sites Reservoir, would be the first new water storage project in years. While the water storage would be beneficial, the reservoir would speed up the extinction of an endangered salmon species and disrupt the cultural traditions of some native tribes. The Sites Reservoir would not rely on a river flowing into it, but would be filled by water pumped from the Sacramento River when there is excess to bank in the reservoir. Associated Press News (New York), Dec 15, 2021

San Diego will provide water from an underground storage facility in Kern County to serve parts of northern Los Angeles County, Ventura County and San Bernardino County in an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Metropolitan Water will purchase 4,200 acre-feet of the Water Authority’s reserves in the Semitropic Water Bank next year and lease an additional 5,000 acre-feet from the Water Authority’ account, as stated in the agreement. Times of San Diego (Calif.), Dec 14, 2021

California lawmakers were examining how drought can affect residents’ wellbeing. The Senate Select Committee on Human Security held a hearing on how drinking water is affected, as well as labor, health, and prices and supply at grocery stores. KGPE-TV CBS 47 Fresno (Calif.), Dec 16, 2021

The KNP Complex Fire burned for months, killing thousands of giant sequoia, consuming 88,307 acres and extensively damaging parts of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. The blaze was finally fully contained on Dec. 17 after winter storms brought heavy snow that finally extinguished the smoldering fire. The KNP Complex began in early September when two fires, sparked by lightning strikes, merged on Sept. 9. The flames burned through millions of dead and desiccated trees, killed by drought and an infestation of bark beetles in the southern Sierra. The General Sherman tree and others were encircled with fire-resistant wrap to protect them from the flames that killed between 3% and 5% of the mature sequoia trees in the world died, despite the firefighters’ hard work to protect the trees. Visalia Times-Delta (Calif.), Dec 20, 2021

The Kansas Forest Service revised the total wildfire acres burned across western Kansas that sparked on Dec. 15 due to a historic storm that brought high winds to drought-stricken western Kansas, making dust blow. Kansas Forest Service and the National Interagency Fire Coordination Center used a new satellite data system to map ongoing wildfire to determine about 163,000 acres burned rather than the 400,000 acres that was previously reported. Great Bend Post (Kan.), Dec 21, 2021 The Four County Fire, a large wildfire in Russell and Ellis counties, has burned 365,850 acres, per the Kansas Forest Service, and destroyed at least 10 homes, according to the Russell County Sheriff. Initial assessment of the fire activity on Dec. 15, the day of the high winds and dust storms, indicated that 11 fires burned a cumulative acreage of nearly 400,000 acres. On the morning of Dec. 16, the Oklahoma Forest Service reported that the Cobb Fire in the panhandle had claimed about 10,000 acres. From the Texas Forest Service on the afternoon of Dec. 16: The North 207 Fire between Pampa and Borger burned 23,810 acres. The Parker Creek Fire southwest of Dumas was estimated at 11,066 acres. Wildfire Today (Rapid City, S.D.), Dec 16, 2021

A snake wrangler pulled 92 adults and baby rattlesnakes from under a house in Sonoma County. He believes drought was largely responsible for so many snakes collecting in one place. During drought, snakes and other wildlife will search for food and water wherever it can be found. KGO-TV ABC 7 San Francisco (Calif.), Oct, 15, 2021

Drought to the west of Lake Superior has allowed the lake’s level to drop in August below the seasonal average for the first time in more than 7 years. Tributaries in northern Minnesota that typically flow into Lake Superior were barely flowing and, in some cases, not flowing into the massive lake anymore, due to drought. The St. Louis River, the largest U.S. tributary to Lake Superior, was flowing in August at just 10% normal. Lake Superior generally rises from April through August and then slowly drops from September to March. Duluth News Tribune (Minn.), Sept 7, 2021

With August inflows much below average, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to reduce releases from Fort Peck Dam from 9,500 cubic feet per second to 5,000 cfs in September. Inflows are expected to remain below average for the remainder of 2021. Billings Gazette (Mont.), Sept 3, 2021

The city of Ventura stopped pumping water from its wells near Foster Park as flows slowed in the Ventura River, marking the first time pumping completely ceased under an interim settlement with Santa Barbara Channelkeeper. River flows improved once the pumping ended. The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.), Sept 8, 2021

The Santa Clara Valley Water District declared a drought emergency in June and requested that customers reduce their water use by 15%, but the plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Residents curbed their water use by 6% in July. Santa Clara’s 10 reservoirs were just 12% full on Sept. 7. The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.), Sept 8, 2021

The hot, dry summer affected the potatoes, which are less dense and odd-shaped. The yields were disappointing, too. The industry estimates were down maybe 10% in Washington and Oregon. The potatoes also will not store well. The tomato crop was down nearly 30% at a Franklin County, Washington farm. The melons grown there look weeks old within days of being picked. As dry as the soil is, the wheat crop will have to be dusted in this fall. Northwest News Network (Portland, Ore.), Oct 6, 2021

More than 500 sick or dead deer have been reported in Eastern Washington since August. Bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) are transmitted via biting gnats in drought years. Some bighorn sheep herds have also been affected by bluetongue. Spokane Spokesman-Review (Wash.), Oct 10, 2021

Total wheat production in Washington state plummeted nearly 50% to 87.1 million bushels, down from 166 million bushels in 2020. The yield was just 39.1 bushels per acre, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual Small Grains 2021 Summary. The lack of rain and heat really hurt the crop. Spring wheat production in 2021 was 16 million bushels, half of 33.2 million bushels produced in 2020, with yields also falling by more than half to 30 bushels per acre in 2021 from 61 bushels per acre in 2020. Winter wheat harvests and yields were almost halved, falling to 70.9 million bushels at 42 bushels per acre in 2021 from 133 million bushels at 76 bushels per acre in 2020. This was the smallest wheat harvest in 57 years, stated the program director for the Washington Grain Commission in Spokane. Washington barley growers planted about 70,000 acres of barley in 2021, compared to 90,000 acres in 2020. The harvest amounted to 2.6 million bushels at 38 bushels per acre from 6.4 million bushels at 90 bushels per acre in 2020. Recent yields in Washington state have been about 70 bushels per acre. This was the lowest barley harvest since 1977. The Seattle Times (Wash.), Oct. 6, 2021 Exceptional drought gripped 38% of Washington state. Washington’s drought has been very hard on farmers, especially in the drier eastern part of the state. Dryland farmers or those irrigating from rain-fed streams have suffered. Washington’s wheat production looks to be about 93 million bushels of wheat this year, the lowest output since 1973, according to the chief executive of the Washington Grain Commission. Last year, the state produced nearly 166 million bushels. The Seattle Times (Wash.), Sept 6, 2021 The wheat crop in Washington state is estimated at 117 million bushels, down from 165 million bushels last year. Some parts of the state experienced a complete crop failure, according to the executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers. About 90% of the wheat is unirrigated. The drought is being described as the worst since 1977. Some farmers are certain to be bankrupted by this drought. The soft white winter wheat grown in Oregon and Idaho has also been damaged by drought. Associated Press News (New York), Aug 11, 2021

Drought in North Dakota has been so harsh that it has been compared to the Dust Bowl and 1988. Forage production was poor, due to drought and intense heat, leaving ranchers looking ahead to winter, wondering how to feed the livestock. Auction barns have been busy. This year ranchers have already sold nearly 25% more cattle than last year, according to the North Dakota Stockmen's Association. NPR (Washington, D.C.), Oct. 6, 2021

Drought and the high cost of labor have devastated the pear industry in the Rogue Valley. Harvest was about 25% of normal, and the fruit was smaller and of a lower grade. Irrigation water only flowed through early summer as intense heat gripped the valley. A pear grower in Talent opted to pull out the pear trees on his 75 acres near Talent. Medford Mail Tribune (Ore.), Oct 6, 2021