Week of rain had minor effect on fields

DES MOINES — Data reports from across the state show the scale of badly needed rain for much of Iowa last week. Showers on the 11th and 16th were welcome for Southeast Iowa, although northern parts of the state remained unseasonably dry.

“The southern tier of Iowa received above average rainfall this week leading to 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork,” said the USDA’s Crop Progress & Condition Report for the week ending Sept. 17. “Field activities included harvesting corn and soybeans. Some farmers were also working on their fourth cutting of alfalfa hay.”

The report said 79% of statewide topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions remained short or very short — virtually unchanged from last week’s numbers — and that “getting water to livestock continued be a challenge,” as ponds and creeks through pastures ran dry.

All of Washington, Henry and Jefferson counties remained under drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which reported no change in conditions for any of the three from Sept. 5-12, but doesn’t update to account for Sept. 16 precipitation until Thursday.

Still, some pockets of the state — in parts of Henry, Jefferson and Louisa counties — reported over two inches of rainfall last week according to a USDA precipitation map, well above the area’s average this summer.

An Iowa Environmental Mesonet data station in Wellman reported over half an inch of rain Sept. 11, while another in Crawfordsville reported 0.63 the same day, followed by over an inch on the 16th.

That likely caused a slight bump in crop conditions, based on the USDA’s weekly reports. Corn conditions went from 46% good or excellent to 48% from one week to the next, with moisture content of harvested corn for grain clocking in at 22%. Soybean conditions followed a similar trend, rising from 44% to 47% good or excellent in the same time frame, while pastures were unchanged with a lackluster score of 15%.

The harvest, meanwhile is officially underway. The USDA said corn harvested for grain had reached 5% statewide, roughly one week ahead of both last year and the average. For soybeans, the number is 3%.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com