By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
STERLING, Kan. — After an abundance of rainfall late in the summer, things have dried out enough that it could start posing problems for farmers and ranchers this fall and winter. Norman Roth with Roth Farm and Ranch near Sterling says subsoil moisture is staying put for now.
“From the end of August to the third of November, we’ve had between eight and nine inches of rain,” Roth said. “That was wetter than normal, so that is one of the saving things about how dry we are now.”
Roth says, while subsoil moisture is doing OK, farmers and ranchers who depend on surface water for their livestock may have to resort to other methods to get water to their cattle as ponds continue to dry up.
“Guys that depend on ponds . . . they’re getting into some serious consequences,” Roth said. “They’ll have to start hauling water because we haven't had runoff rainfall in this community in a year and a half.”
As far as winter grazing goes, Roth says things should be OK as long as the dry weather doesn’t last past the usual dry winter months.
“As far as the pastures, especially if they weren’t overgrazed this summer, we’ve got some growth out there that will protect the soil from the wind and the sun,” Roth said. "So on the pasture side, we're not going to see a lot of damage if we get our spring rain."
If the rain does come in the spring, Roth says things should improve quickly. Subsoil moisture in the area was running about 38% adequate, according to the National Weather Service.
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