Released: February 08, 2002

Snow Helps Wheat, But Most of Kansas Still Too Dry

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Ice and snow that finally moved through Kansas at the end of January helped the winter wheat crop and provided a little optimism for spring row crops, but was not enough to adequately replenish moisture in the soil, a Kansas State University agronomist said.

"I don’t know that it completely changed the picture [for winter wheat], but it sure gave it a boost when it needed it," said Jim Shroyer, crop production specialist with K-State Research and Extension.

"But we could use more. The more snow the merrier, basically," he said, adding that snow is the most efficient type of moisture winter wheat could have. In addition to providing moisture, it helps insulate the crop, and protects the soil surface from wind erosion.

And there’s no question much of Kansas needs it.

Data show that much of Kansas received above-normal precipitation in January, but that for the five-month period Sept, 2001-Jan. 2002, most of the state is still below normal, according to Mary Knapp, the climatologist for the State of Kansas.

Knapp said southwest Kansas has received less than half its normal amount of moisture over the last five months. In January, the liquid equivalent precipitation there was 120 percent of normal but for the five months [through January], it’s just 49.24 percent of normal, she said.

Northwest Kansas was the only area that received above-normal precipitation for the five-month period, at 102.29 percent of normal.

Other particularly dry areas for the five-month stretch were east central Kansas at 76.64 percent of normal, south central at 79.06 percent, and west central at 83.94 percent of normal.

In a report released Feb. 4, the Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service rated the wheat crop 32 percent poor to very poor, 41 percent fair and 27 percent good to excellent.

Topsoil moisture was rated 73 percent short to very short, 23 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus, KASS said.

"The snowfall that arrived at the end of January provided protection from cold temperatures, protection from the wind, and moisture, but that hasn’t offset the dryness we experienced in the fall," Knapp said. "We need sustained moisture as the wheat breaks dormancy."

The dry conditions have also been hard on pastures, Shroyer said: "They’re not growing now, but they still need moisture when they start growing this spring, and will continue to."

The mid-winter snow also helped improve the outlook for spring-planted crops, but hasn’t refilled the soil moisture profile, he added.

February and March will be critical months, Knapp agreed.

"Farmers are more optimistic when they go into spring planting when they have full [soil] moisture," Shroyer said. "It’s just like a tank of gas. If you start your trip without a full tank of gas, you just don’t know how far it’s going to take you. Any moisture we can get right now will be money in the bank as far as rebuilding the soil moisture profile."

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Mary Lou Peter, Communications Specialist
mlpeter@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News