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Northwest Iowa Crops Page |
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Spring 2004 Subsoil Moisture Survey Results
The ISU Extension Spring 2004 subsoil moisture survey has been completed for Carroll, Calhoun, Crawford, Monona, Ida, Sac and Pocahontas counties. Results form this spring’s sampling indicate that west-central IA is going into the planting season in very good shape with a greater than average amount of moisture stored in the area’s sub-soil. Most soils in west-central IA had tremendous recharge of soil moisture following the dry conditions the area experienced last fall. The area’s soils are holding on average 8.5 inches of plant available water (PAW) which is 73% of capacity. This compares to only 2.6 inches of PAW last fall and 8.6 inches PAW in the spring of 2003. The 6-year spring sampling average is 7.9 inches PAW, or 93% of this year’s amount. Areas with greater than 8 inches PAW include Carroll (9.6 inches), Ida (8.9 inches), Sac (10.2 inches) and Pocahontas (8.1 inches) counties. Monona (6 inches PAW) and Crawford (7.5 inches PAW) Counties, although only at 51% and 65% capacity respectively, have their best soil moisture conditions since the spring of 1999. Areas such as Carroll, Ida and Sac Counties which are near field capacity should use caution with tillage and heavy equipment on the soils to prevent soil compaction. Additional precipitation in the area could quickly waterlog the soils and the soils may take longer to dry out. Compaction is a serious detrimental soil condition that will affect the crop for the entire season and potentially for many years. Areas such as Monona County that are on the dry side can employ management strategies to conserve soil moisture and reduce drought induced risk for the current cropping season. Reducing tillage passes and maintaining soil surface crop residue decreases moisture losses due to surface evaporation, keeps soil temperatures cooler, and reduces soil compaction allowing for increased rooting capacity. Select hybrid/varieties that are more drought tolerant and and increase the diversity of selected hybrids/varieties and crop maturities across the farm.
Soil Profile Graphs
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2004 Spring Subsoil Moisture Survey Results
| Sample | Plant Available Water 60-inch soil profile | |||||
| County | Township | Town | Crop | Date | Inches | % of Capacity |
| Carroll | Washington | Carroll | Soybean | 04/02/04 | 9.6 | 77.3% |
| Crawford | Paradise | Dow City | Corn | 04/02/04 | 7.4 | 63.3% |
| Soybean | 04/02/04 | 7.7 | 65.8% | |||
| County Average | 7.5 | 64.5% | ||||
| Ida | Grant | Kiron | Soybean | 04/02/04 | 8.1 | 69.3% |
| Maple | Battle Creek | Corn | 04/02/04 | 9.4 | 75.5% | |
| Griggs | Holstein | Soybean | 04/02/04 | 9.3 | 75.2% | |
| County Average | 8.9 | 73.3% | ||||
| Monona | Center | Castana | Corn | 04/02/04 | 6.1 | 52.5% |
| Soybean | 04/02/04 | 6.8 | 57.9% | |||
| Corn | 04/02/04 | 5.0 | 42.8% | |||
| County Average | 6.0 | 51.1% | ||||
| Sac | Richland | Odebolt north | Corn | 03/31/04 | 11.3 | 91.9% |
| Eurek | Schaller | Soybean | 03/31/04 | 9.3 | 75.1% | |
| Jackson | Sac City | Corn | 03/31/04 | 10.2 | 91.1% | |
| Sac | Auburn | Soybean | 03/31/04 | 9.7 | 100.0% | |
| Wheeler | Odebolt South | Corn | 03/31/04 | 10.2 | 82.6% | |
| County Average | 10.2 | 88.1% | ||||
| Poke | Roosevelt | Gillmore City | Soybean | 04/01/04 | 8.1 | 73.4% |
| Calhoun | Elm Grove | Yetter | Corn | 04/02/04 | 6.9 | 62.5% |
| Area Average | 8.5 | 72.3% | ||||
Historical Spring Sample Results
| PAW - Inches (Spring) | % of Spring Average | ||||||||
| County | Township | Town | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 2004 |
| Carroll | Washington | Carroll | 9.6 | 12.1 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 6.6 | 100% | |
| Crawford | Paradise | Dow City | 7.4 | 6.2 | 4.6 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 9.4 | 109% |
| 7.7 | 8.3 | 5.5 | 7.1 | 3.8 | 119% | ||||
| County Average | 7.5 | 7.2 | 5.0 | 6.9 | 5.1 | 9.4 | 114% | ||
| Ida | Grant | Kiron | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 4.3 | 6.9 | 10.7 | 104% |
| Maple | Battle Creek | 9.4 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 8.3 | 121% | |
| Griggs | Holstein | 9.3 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 9.9 | 104% | |
| County Average | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 9.6 | 110% | ||
| Monona | Center | Castana | 6.1 | ||||||