The Oklahoma Mesonet Web site reports 2005 is the seventh driest year (as of Nov. 21) since 1921 in east central Oklahoma. Total rainfall for the area is reported at 29.55 inches for the year as of Monday, which is 12.27 inches below normal.
Mesonet reports the driest year on record for the area was in 1936 when only 20.91 inches of rain fell.
Tony Yates, OSU agent for Sequoyah County, said the lack of rainfall is causing problems for farmers and ranchers, and most particularly cattlemen at this time of year.
Yates, a cattleman himself, said, "We know it's dry when you're digging post holes and all you're digging is dust. That's what we were doing Saturday."
Yates reported that cattlemen have already begun feeding hay to their cattle, which is at least a month before they normally feed hay. "And that means they will probably run out of hay before the end of the winter," Yates said.
Those who plant rye grass and wheat for winter pasture have nothing to show for their efforts, Yates added. The seeds have not sprouted due to the lack of rain, and if the seeds did sprout, the young plants "are just sitting there."
"The wheat and rye grass is three months behind what it usually is," Yates said. "Most producers plant it for winter pasture, but if they haven't planted it already, it is too late. They won't be able to get any fall forage out of it."
Yates said the production of other crops was about half this year what it is with the normal amount of rainfall.
Charles Sloan of Vian, who grew soybeans and corn this year in the Arkansas River bottoms in the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge south of Vian, said he harvested about half the usual crop.
"We had about 50 percent of our possible yields," Sloan said, adding he figures he broke even on this year's farming efforts.
The drought, Sloan said, "has hurt us in more ways than one. The drought didn't impact other areas of the United States, so the prices are down too.
"And my combine uses 10 gallons of diesel (gas) an hour," which also emptied Sloan's pockets.
"And the nitrogen, a by-product of natural gas which is used as fertilizer, is over $500 a ton right now. It was $10 a ton this time last year," Sloan said.
As most know, the prices of gas and other fuels skyrocketed during this year's hurricane season and the damages done to offshore oil and gas wells.
"Anything that uses nitrogen, like corn or wheat, will be awfully expensive to grow right now," Sloan said. "It's going to hit wheat farmers really hard next spring."
But, Sloan said, "It's the cattlemen who are being hurt the most right now."
Sloan said that at a meeting of the Sequoyah County Farm Bureau Monday, the cattlemen attending reported their ponds are drying up right along with their pastures.
"I've got a pond and it's at the lowest I've ever seen," Sloan said. "Both Vian creeks are dry, except for a few puddles here and there."
Sloan said the cattlemen report they are having to either haul water into their cattle or haul their cattle to other areas where they have water. Cattle are also having to be rotated from pasture to pasture for more grass and forage, he said.
Dry pastures are also causing health problems for the cattle, Sloan said. "The cattlemen are reporting that their cattle are getting dust pneumonia from breathing in the dust."
Yates agreed. He said, "Dust pneumonia causes respiratory problems for the cattle when they breathe in the dust. Cattlemen have to use antibiotics just as they do for any kind of pneumonia. It can be really bad."
A good rain would help, both men said. "We usually average 5.1 inches of rain in November," Yates said. "This year we've only had 2.24 inches of rain as of Wednesday."
"I've never seen it as dry as it is right now," Sloan concluded.
Gov. Brad Henry issued a ban against most outdoor burning last week to hold down wildfires. Even though other areas of the state have not been as affected by the lack of rain as the east central area, the ban against burning does include the entire state.
For East Central Oklahoma
*2005 Total Rainfall as of Nov. 21: 29.55 inches
*Average Rainfall as of Nov. 21: 41.82 inches
*2005 Driest Year Since 1980 when 27.18 inches of rain fell between Jan. 1 and Nov. 21
*2005 Is Eighth Driest Year (as of Nov. 21) since 1921
*1936 Was Driest Year on Record when 20.91 t4inches of rain fell
