Recent moisture helpful for local crops

Pasture and tame hay fields are now showing growth due to warmer temperatures. Compared to last week, officials note that the pasture growing conditions rating improved by 14 per cent.

Pasture conditions (tame hay shown in brackets) are rated as 16 (8) per cent poor, 34 (25) per cent fair, 43 (54) per cent good and 7 (13) per cent excellent.

For fall seeded crops, conditions are reported as 5 per cent poor, 22 per cent fair, 65 per cent good and 8 per cent excellent.

Precipitation over the past week was highly variable throughout the province, however, and as such, did not provide as much moisture as needed for many dry areas across the province. Officials say most areas in the southern half of the province received less than 10 mm of moisture, with some (mainly in the South and North East Regions) receiving less than 5 mm.

In the Peace Region, most areas stayed dry allowing seeding to progress, following an exceptionally wet start to spring. Growing season precipitation to date was said to be less than 40 mm in most parts of the South, Central and North East Regions of the province. The need for moisture, however, remains acute in most parts of the South Region, which have received less than 30 mm. More rain and warmer temperatures are said to be needed for these areas, which officials hope will occur in June, which is on average, the wettest month of the year.

Seeding progress for major crops in the province is now 73 per cent complete, up 28 per cent from a week ago, but slightly behind the 5-year and 10-year averages of 77 and 82 per cent, respectively.

Regionally, producers in the North East Region made the most seeding progress at 37 per cent, followed by the Peace and North West Regions with 34 and 29 per cent, respectively. Seeding advanced 27 per cent in the Central Region and 14 per cent in the South. Compared to the 5-year averages, seeding is said to be most behind in the Peace Region, due to the cold and wet weather experienced at the beginning of the season.

Last week’s precipitation improved soil moisture reserves for the South, Central and North East, but was unchanged in the North West Region and declined in the Peace. Despite the improvement in most areas, soil moisture reserves remain below average for most parts of the province, with the exception of the Peace Region.

Overall, provincial surface soil moisture is rated (sub-surface soil moisture ratings shown in brackets) at 17 (31) per cent poor, 35 (29) per cent fair, 42 (34) per cent good, 6 (6) per cent excellent, with no excessive moisture.

Precipitation and warmer temperatures over the past week also improved pasture growing conditions in all regions except the Peace Region, where rain was limited, causing pasture conditions to deteriorate slightly by one per cent. Even so, say officials, many pastures and hay lands are in need of moisture across Alberta.

Provincially, pasture conditions (tame hay shown in brackets) are now estimated at 21 (15) per cent poor, 47 (43) per cent fair, 29 (38) per cent good and 3 (4) per cent excellent, with similar ratings reported for tame hay.

by rdnewsNOW Staff

Recent moisture helpful for local crops

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