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Drought in Washington Could Pose Problem for Late-Harvest Crops

Posted on: Thursday, 15 September 2005, 21:00 CDT

Sep. 11--SUNNYSIDE -- Terry Christensen rushed to weigh the alfalfa stacked on the back of his New Holland bale wagon, driving it onto a large scale.

He was trying to get the crop on all of his fields baled and stored before forecast weekend rains could render the feed worthless.

But Christensen, who works about 500 acres of hay around the Yakima Valley near Sunnyside, had a different problem than most Mid-Columbia farmers. At least on this particular day last week, he didn't want anything to fall from the skies.

Rain, but mostly the lack of it, has plagued Mid-Columbia farmers during one of the dryest years on record. Some timely spring rains lessened the predicament of junior water right irrigators who had worried they might lose crops. But now, they hope more will get them through the late-harvest crops like winter apple varieties and wine grapes.

Water managers Roza Irrigation District, which supplies farmers near Christensen's area, say they will have enough water through September, but after that they will need help from mother nature to continue providing irrigation water.

"We have to get some rain if there is going to be any water in October," said Tom Monroe, Roza manager.

This year, Monroe has been carefully rationing the district's allotted water, which is 42 percent of normal.

The district plans to turn off the irrigation spigot Sept. 30, about three weeks earlier than usual, he said.

Monroe said farmers with late harvest apples and grapes likely would have the most trouble with the drought. Some varieties hang on trees and vines through November.

"They can't harvest the grapes until they are ready," Monroe said. "They can't try to pick them early, the crop wouldn't be able to go to market."

But he said that even farmers with earlier crops need more water on the ground before winter comes. Some plants, like grapes, can be damaged if they are too dry when a hard freeze hits, he said.

Curt Hart, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Ecology, said this year didn't turn out to be the worst drought on record as had been predicted earlier. A wet, cool spring was like winning the lottery for many farmers, he said.

Still, the danger is not over.

"August and September are typically our driest and warmest part of the year," he said.

And it comes at a time when some irrigation districts, and city wells are running quite low, he added.

"There are areas that are hard hit," he said. "That includes Wenatchee and Yakima."

And state officials will be closely watching the skies this winter.

"If we have another winter where it's warm and we don't get snow packs, we could have another drought year," he said. "There could be problems."

Kennewick Irrigation District managers also are planning for the start of winter and projecting an Oct. 15 shut off date. But that's about when the district always shuts off, said Beth Smith, KID spokeswoman.

However, recent water demand has declined, she said. "Kids go back to school, people water their lawns less and people are getting ready for winter," she said.

The district already has cut back most of the emergency supplemental water it had been drawing from private wells and other irrigation districts, Smith said.

Down some backroads in Grandview, Patty Hecker, 69, stood watching her last apple harvest from a patch of shade.

But irrigation rated low on her worry list. Hecker, who grew up just a mile from the farm where she stood this particular morning, had other worries.

She wore worn tennis shoes, a deep tan and a sad expression as she explained that she lost her husband this spring, and after a decade of bad prices and building debt, the farm is broke.

"We've been here 40 years," she said, leaning up against a large box of Granny Smith apples. "We're hoping someone will buy it (the farm) for development."

Her son Rick pulled up in a pickup, telling his mother the hay baler had just broke a chain.

Like Christensen, he had been trying to bale everything on their nearby hayfields before the predicted rain.

"I hope it does rain Saturday," he said. "It's so darn dry, it would knock the dust down."

Both of the Heckers appeared worn out. They said it was difficult to muster much enthusiasm this harvest.

"I'll be sad to leave my home," Patty said. "But I'll be glad to see the fruit go.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.

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Source: Tri-City Herald

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