By Jessie Burchette
Salisbury Post
Weekend showers are expected to close out 2007, which may be the driest year in the county’s recent history.
Rowan is among 72 counties statewide in exceptional drought conditions ó the worst status ó according to the U.S. Drought Monitoring Council.
Many areas of the county have had under 22 inches of rainfall this year, according to Jim Cowden, director of the Cooperative Extension Service.
That’s about half of the 43-45 inches considered average rainfall for the county.
What rainfall fell in the summer months quickly vanished under searing heat. August was the hottest month in history, according to the National Weather Service records.
While the last drought period of 2000-2001 caused severe water usage restrictions in Landis, China Grove and Kannapolis, a new waterline from Salisbury has removed the prior fears of running out of water.
Restaurants which were forced to use paper plates and plastic utensils during the last drought have done business as usual this time.
Farmers, nursery and landscaping businesses are continuing to bear the brunt of the drought of 2007.
Showers closing out the year may offer some reassurance that it can still rain.
“Anytime you can put water in the soil profile in drought conditions like we’ve had, it’s a good thing,” said Joe Hampton, superintendent of the Piedmont Research Station on Sherrills Ford Road.
Hampton added that if the temperature gets into the 50s and 60s for a few days, fescue pastures will grow. The showers may also help germinate some late-planted small grains.
He estimated it will take a lot of rain ó 8 to 12 inches ó by the first of April to get fields and pastures back in good shape. “We’ve had as much as 19 inches (January to March),” said Hampton.
The Piedmont Research Station is now serving as one of six drop-off points for a Department of Agriculture program to supply hay to farmers.
The first load arrived Thursday. Additional loads are scheduled to arrive before Wednesday. The goal is to have 140 tons of hay available on a continuous basis. As hay is sold, additional loads will be brought in.
The hay will be in large and small square bales.
Under the state program, the cost will be set to recoup what it cost to buy and transport the hay.
Hampton said the state program will likely provide hay a bit cheaper since the state isn’t trying to make a profit.
To get hay through the state program, farmers need to call the Hay Alert line at 1-866-506-6222 to make arrangements .
Hampton said there will be limits on how much each farmer can buy.
He urged farmers to take a close look at their options, noting that corn stalk hay is also still available through the Hay Alert line.
“They still have options now. The later you get, the fewer options,” said Hampton.
Around the county, most livestock producers are watching, waiting and trying to get by until spring.
L.L. Goodnight & Sons, a farm supply store on Saw Road, has been bringing in shipments of hay for months.
“We’re still getting hay out of Canada,” said Hilda Goodnight.
She said most of the cattle growers they deal with are still hanging on.
“We’ve had some farmers put rye grass in their fescue. A little bit of rain and cattle will be able to graze a little.”
Looking back on their rainfall records, Goodnight noted the dry spells appear to be coming about every 10 years.
The driest year on their records remains in 1986 when 27.55 inches fell.