Wet, wet weather

Normally at this time of year, too little rain is a concern. This year, it's the opposite.
According to Dave Starner, superintendent of the Northern Piedmont Agricultural Research Station, this spring, between March 21 and June 20, area residents saw 19.78 inches of rain. This is the second highest amount of rain for any spring season since 1941. In the spring of 1972, 20.36 inches of rain fell. This was mostly due to Hurricane Agnes, which dropped 10 inches of rain throughout the area.
The wet spring has caused numerous problems including diseases in wheat, non-curable hay and delays in planting.
"We've had more rust in some varieties of wheat than I've ever seen," Starner said. "Plus, the hay isn't curable, meaning it can't be baled, and everything has been delayed. [We] haven't been able to plant soybeans or corn."
According to Orange Cooperative Extension Agent Steve Hopkins, the delayed planting has caused damage to the corn and soybean crops and some areas being too wet has caused the young plants to die.
"We also had more insect problems due to the cool wet conditions in corn and soybeans," he said. "The crops have been growing slower allowing the insects to cause more damage than usual before the crops could outgrow [it]."
Hopkins said that cutworms and slugs have been the biggest problem.
"We are also seeing delays in the harvest of small grain and increased disease problems causing reduced yields and quality," he said. "Pasture conditions are excellent and hay yields are high but quality from being too mature and having a hard time getting the hay crop harvested between rain events have been a challenge this year."
Starner said that the wet conditions have made planting frustrating.
"It was just starting to dry out the third week of April [which was] the only week without rain but it was too muddy [for planting]," he said. "If we still had horse drawn [equipment] like 1989, we could've broken the crust. The equipment we have now wouldn't [work] the land. We'll see if anything comes up."
The rain hasn't been bad for everything, Dwight Baker of the Orange County Water Plant said.
"The river is doing great; it's the best its been in years," he said. "We like the rain."
Because of the large amounts of spring rain, Baker said he's optimistic there won't be a need for summer water use restrictions.
"I would think that we wouldn't have water restrictions [this summer] but I can't swear it," he said.
According to Starner, a change in the weather was expected to occur this week with less wet weather in the forecast.
"We should be more into our usual pattern," he said. "Dry spells with slight storm possibilities."
Starner said he is looking forward to the change and drying out.
"I don't know how long it will take for the land to dry out because its never been this wet," he said.