Press Release.

May 2, 2014.

For further information contact:
Paul Kassel. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Agronomist.
Phone 712 262 2264, 712 260 3389. E-mail kassel@iastate.edu


Subsoil moisture levels are a concern for 2014 crop production.

For immediate release Spencer IA. Iowa State University has completed their spring
survey of subsoil moisture in northwest Iowa, says Paul Kassel, ISU Extension Field
Agronomist located in Spencer. Subsoil moisture levels are checked in the spring in
many northwest Iowa counties.

The amount of subsoil moisture is well below average at some northwest Iowa sites. The
level of subsoil moisture at the soil moisture sites in Dickinson, Clay, Pocahontas and Sac
county ranges from 3.7 inches at a site near Schaller to 7.8 inches of plant available
moisture at a site south of Spencer.

Soil moisture has been a concern the last several years. Late summer rainfall has been
well below normal since mid-July 2011. Soil moisture has been below normal during the
fall of 2011 and the fall of 2012. Rainfall that was well above normal during the spring of
2013 that initially quieted thoughts of another drought in 2013.

However, drought concerns developed during the mid-summer of 2013. Additional
concerns were added this winter. Soil moisture changed very little during the late fall,
winter and early spring of 2013/2014 (Table 1). Most of northwest Iowa experienced
open dry conditions during much of the winter of 2013/2014. Those dry conditions
persisted into spring with many areas receiving below normal precipitation for March and
April. Frozen soils persisted into mid-April that limited soil moisture recharge.

Rainfall during the week of April 27 to May 1, 2014 contributed to subsoil moisture
reserves. The rainfall that occurred the last week of April increased soil moisture
reserves at many locations by 0.6 to 2.0 inches. The rainfall that occurred after subsoil
moisture was sampled was added to the actual soil moisture readings. The adjusted soil
moisture level is referred to as effective soil moisture in Table 2.

The drought monitor confirms these dry conditions. Currently areas of northwest and
west central Iowa are in moderate to severe drought as of May 1 2014.

Soil moisture concerns can change quickly, as evidenced during the spring of 2013.
Rainfall during May and June will contribute to subsoil moisture. Expected rainfall for
May and June is about 8.0 inches.


Table 1. County Subsoil moisture fall 2013/spring 2014.

Plant Plant
Available available
County moisture, moisture
Spring inches, inches
County Average, in. Location 2013 crop Nov 20, 2013. May 2, 2014.



Dickinson 7.8 Spirit Lake soybean 4.5 4.4

Clay 7.5 Rossie soybean 7.9 6.6

Pocahontas 7.6 Rolfe corn * 3.5

Sac 7.7 Schaller soybean 2.5 2.7

* - this site was not sampled fall 2013.



Table 2. Rainfall, effective soil moisture amounts since sampling date, 2014.

Sample Rainfall since effective
Location county date sample date soil moisture
----Inches ---- ----Inches ----

Spirit Lake Dickinson 4/24 0.7 5.0

Rossie Clay 4/24 1.5 7.8

Rolfe Pocahontas 4/25 2.4 5.5

Schaller Sac 4/25 1.2 3.7


Table 3. Location of moisture in the soil profile, April 23/24, 2014.

Location Spirit Rossie Schaller Rolfe
Lake
Depth, ft. -----------------inches -------------------
0- 1 1.3 1.7 1.8 1.2
1-2 0.9 1.4 0.9 0.8
2-3 0.5 1.6 0.0 0.7
3-4 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.1
4-5 1.0 0.9 0.0 0.7

Total 4.5 6.6 2.7 3.5