July 7, 2000

And The Rains Came

Precipitation across much
of the state has farmers smiling...

By Lana Robinson
Field Editor

Weather scientists who earlier predicted a return to more normal weather as the La Nina phenomenon was appearing to wane were right. Rainfall in May and June was above average in much of the corn belt, whereas cotton-growing regions in the Southeast and the Delta remain hot and dry.

Much of Texas has experienced a wet spring and early summer, with some crop farmers hoping for a break in order to harvest corn, sorghum and soybeans and cut hay.

In early June, Victoria County farmer David Hempel, who grows milo, soybeans and corn on 900 acres of bottom land along the Guadalupe River, and some 1,000 acres on high ground, reported one of the best, all-around crops he’s had in years, thanks to the periodic rains.

“We haven’t had any great amounts at a time, but a shower just about every week. We went heavy on grain sorghum because they were predicting a dry spring. I could have planted more corn instead. Soybeans are a good rotation crop down here. The crops are all doing great, except for a little midge damage in the sorghum. Now if we just don’t get a hurricane at harvest,” said Hempel.

On June 19, Dallas County Farm Bureau President Harvey Parker, Jr., who farms near Wilmer, said his sudan hay is long and lush from so much rain.

“Some of it’s six foot tall already,” said Parker. “I’m glad I didn’t plant wheat. Most all the wheat in this area was written off as a loss. You know how it is with rain here in Texas. Seems like it’s feast or famine.”

Parker said the run-off came in the nick of time for many of the region’s reservoirs, which provide domestic water needs.

“One of Dallas’s main lakes, Ray Hubbard, is full again, and it’s been way low for a long time,” he said.

The same day, Carlon Stapper of Bulverde, Comal County FB president, was celebrating wet conditions in his neck of the woods and hoping for even more rain.

“We’ve had a lot of small showers. We got eight-tenths yesterday (June 18). I had some hay cut and ready to bale, but I say, let it rain. I need the rain worse than I need the hay. And the rain’s all been going into the ground. We could use some run-off.”

Rain was too late in coming for wheat and cotton producers in some areas of West Central Texas. At the end of May, District Extension Director Scott Durham of San Angelo said the region’s wheat crop was virtually non-existent and what little cotton had been planted failed to emerge. Ranges and pastures had also deteriorated.

District Extension Director Jett Major of Lubbock said unseasonably hot temperatures in May, which exceeded 100 degrees, delayed dryland planting operations in the South Plains. High, hot winds sapped needed soil moisture and turned the wheat at a much more rapid rate than normal.

Crops are making excellent growth in the Coastal Bend. Cotton is in good shape, with more planted than last year. Corn is also prospering.

District Extension Director Lin Wilson said Mexican corn rootworm beetles had posed problems in some areas and that fall armyworms had shown up in a few sorghum fields.

Rainfall by region
According to USDA, accumulated rainfall from Jan. 1-June 18 in the High Plains was 7.62 inches, with 2.70 of those inches received in June. Year-to-date rainfall through June 18 in the Low Rolling Plains was 10.20 inches, with 3.5 inches falling in June. North Central Texas received 14.06 inches of rain from Jan. 1-June 18, with 4.26 reported for the month of June. East Texas got 20.29 inches through June, 3.42 inches of which fell last month. On June 18, the Trans Pecos region had received only 2.03 inches of rain since the first of the year, half of which came in June. During the same period, the Edwards Plateau had received 7.24 inches, 3.21 of which fell from June 1-18. South Central Texas reported 12.26 inches year-to-date on June 18, noting that 2.88 inches came in June. The Upper Coast boasted 16.66 inches of precipitation through mid-June, but experienced a relatively dry June with only 1.98 inches falling within the first 18 days of the month. Accumulated rainfall in South Texas from Jan. 1-June 18 was 8.74 inches with about a fourth of that received in the first half of June. Finally, the Lower Rio Grande Valley reported 9.17 inches for the first half of the year, with 2.73 inches the first two weeks of June.

USDA reported that June rains continued to improve crop and pasture conditions across most areas of the state. Some areas maintained high soil moisture levels as cooler temperatures slowed evaporation. Crops and pastures continued to be stressed in a few areas due to a lack of rainfall.

Planting and harvesting activities remained on hold in some areas as producers waited on fields to dry out, while in other areas producers were able to resume field activities.

Planting continued in areas where soil moisture levels were favorable. Haying continued where possible. Rains continued to improve the outlook for second cuttings of hay with producers in some areas already harvesting a second cutting.

High winds and hail-damaged crops were reported in some areas of the Plains. In the Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden areas, vegetables continued to make good progress. Harvesting in some locations was delayed due to wet field conditions.