NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

June 24, 1999

Water Problems Have Been Building for a Year

Many North Dakotans are echoing the Ancient Mariner's lament of "water, water, everywhere" as overflowing potholes inundate surrounding cropland and water-filled ditches threaten roads. Farmland idled because wet conditions prevent planting and damage to property and infrastructure are creating financial hardships.

May rainfall was heavy across North Dakota, ranging from 3 to more than 10 inches, or from 100 to nearly 500 percent of normal, according to John Enz, agricultural climatologist at North Dakota State University. This amount of rainfall in a relatively short period is enough to cause problems, but the story of the area's major water problems really started with the 1998 growing season, Enz says.

Total precipitation amounts for May and June and the May-June total for 1998 were unprecedented, the greatest on record at many locations. This was very unusual, says Enz, because there are usually both wet and dry regions in any given year.

Following a near normal July, 4 to 6 inches of rain fell in the north central and south central parts of the state in August. Several locations reported record amounts of 8 to 9 inches. September was relatively dry.

During the first 17 days of October, the state was hit with widespread rain. A storm system produced rain at every one of the 50 North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) stations on Oct. 4 and 5 and at all but four stations on Oct. 6. Then it happened again on Oct. 11.

"These are rare events," Enz says.

Total October rainfall ranged from 2 to more than 7 inches across the state, 200 to 600 percent of normal October precipitation. The heavy rain was immediately followed by snow and freezing temperatures. Following the spring snow melt, wet conditions prevailed almost everywhere in the state.

This spring, April rainfall was variable across the state with the southeast and northwest regions receiving below normal amounts of an inch or less while the remainder received 1 to 2 inches, normal to about 175 percent of normal. In many areas fields dried during April, but just as fieldwork got under way in early May the rains came again.

May rainfall was very heavy, ranging from 3 to more than 10 inches across North Dakota. These amounts range from 100 to 500 percent of normal and may be new records at some locations, Enz says. Most of the state received more than 200 percent of normal, with the greatest amounts throughout the central third of North Dakota, many of the same areas that received heavy 1998 rainfall. Only a small area in southwestern North Dakota received below normal May rainfall.

"Looking at these numbers, it's easy to see why many fields are not planted." Enz says. "Although better than a drought in my opinion, it is still devastating to agriculture."

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Source: John Enz (701) 231-8576

Editor: Gary Moran (701) 231-7865

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