DROUGHT CONDITIONS: Part of Ozark County now designated in stage 1 drought
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman Drought conditions have set in through parts of Ozark County due to the very hot and dry weather, which has hit the county earlier than usual this year. Many landowners are finding that area fields are dry and grasses dead, including this Gainesville-area field that was planted in arrow-leaf clover and wheat. Some farmers say they plan to begin feeding hay soon.
After experiencing one of the coolest and wettest springs on record and the 16th wettest May ever, parts of the Ozarks are now under stage 1 moderate drought conditions.
According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, the eastern portion of Ozark County and all of Howell County has been placed under the stage 1 drought conditions, with the area not having received widespread rain since June 2, when .67 inches of rain fell. In fact, that area had the second driest June on record, with no recorded rain since June 2.
“It’s like the rain just shut off,” said Larry Meadows, owner of Meadows Lawn Service. “It’s all but completely shut down our mowing, but I’m covered up with tree work,” Meadows said. “It’s like a dust bowl out there when you mow.”
The rest of Ozark County is in the “D-O” ranking on the drought monitor, which means abnormally dry conditions and is expected to move this week into the stage 1 drought category, while the eastern part of the county may move into the stage 2, severe drought category if widespread rain doesn’t happen soon.
In the stage 1 drought conditions, pastures are not growing, topsoil is parched and pond and river levels decline. Fire dangers also increase.
Farmers are feeling the heat
With skyrocketing fertilizer prices this spring, many local farmers didn’t fertilize their fields, according to local farmer Greg Donley. “I know several didn’t fertilize, and that is going to make this dry spell harder on those fields,” Donley said.
“Right now we’re having pinkeye trouble due to the heat and dry weather,” Donley said. “The ponds are starting to drop, and the grass is all turning brown. There will be no second (hay) cutting, and hay and grain prices will be higher.”
Donley said he doesn’t think there’s going to be widespread soaking rains until September. “If that holds true there will be some people feeding hay,” Donley said.
Long term forecast models tend to agree with Donley’s prediction.
According to Springfield television station KY3 meteorologist Brandon Beck’s long term forecasts don’t show any significant widespread rain for southern Missouri through the month of July.
“The farmer seems to get it from every angle,” said longtime farmer and rancher J.D. McKee, who owns farmland in Ozark and Howell counties.
“You’ve got sky-high fertilizer prices, near record gas and diesel prices and we had a cold and wet spring that wasn’t good for the fields and now we’re in a drought,” McKee said. “I just don’t see how there’s a future for cattle farming.”
McKee said last year he paid about $330 per ton for fertilizer that cost him over $900 per ton this year.
He agreed with Donley that many cattle farmers will be feeding hay in late summer if it doesn’t rain.
“Not only that but everybody will be selling off their herds, and of course cattle prices will drop. It’s just a bad deal,” McKee said. He said farmers and ranchers who borrowed money to buy cattle will be in a real pinch.
McKee said before the drought hay prices were around $35 per round bale but now have increased to $85. “And it’s going to be hard to get hay too,” he added.
In addition to the dry conditions, it’s been hot, with near 100-degree days in Ozark County for the past two weeks.
There’s no immediate relief in sight, and high temperatures are expected to break the century mark today through Friday, where the high temp is forecasted to be 103.
At presstime, the National Weather Service is calling for a 50 percent chance of rain on Saturday, but the rain showers are expected to be isolated and not good soaking, widespread rains like what is needed.
With the extended dry and hot conditions, another concern is fire danger.
Gainesville fire chief Ed Doiron said nobody should be burning outside at all under these conditions.
“It’s not safe,” he said. “It’s not safe to burn or even weld outside right now,” Doiron said. “A lot of people don’t think about welding or using a grinder, but all it takes is one spark.”
Doiron said his department has assisted other local fire departments with brush and grass fires.
“I also want people to be aware of the heat from a medical standpoint,” Doiron said. “It’s easy to get overheated and suffer a heat stroke. People need to stay in the air conditioning and check on their neighbors during this time,” he said.