Northwest Iowa — While farmers were worried what this year would bring when it started in January due to 182 straight weeks of drought — and even as spring neared, our very dry soil conditions had farmers concerned — it seems to be of less and less concern, especially in our area, due to timely rains.
According to the US Drought monitor at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, while there was a little area of “abnormally dry” conditions in our part of northwest Iowa two weeks ago, that area has disappeared, and, in fact, the state as a whole is showing less and less drought.
The latest USDA Crop Progress Report for Iowa showed continued improvement in moisture levels. Only nine percent of northwest Iowa topsoil was either short or very short of moisture compared to 19 percent the previous week. 67 percent of northwest Iowa has adequate moisture, with 24 percent surplus.
All of the recent rainfall is also having a direct impact on lake levels. Mike Hawkins, a fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources tells KUOO news levels on the Iowa Great Lakes have risen considerably recently.
And with more rain in the forecast, Hawkins says those levels are likely to come up even more. Rain is possible this Monday and Monday night.
(With help from fellow Community First Broadcasting stations KUOO in Spirit Lake and KAYL in Storm Lake)
