Fire, flood, pestilence. Blame it on El Nino.
Recent fires in Alberta dramatically drove home the message of how important snow cover is, even early in winter. Combine that with an unusually low-moisture growing season and farmers have every reason to make the weather top of the coffee shop talk list.
“It’s not time to panic. Winter has only just started and we’ve seen brown Christmases before. But we have seen producers take prudent steps this fall with regard to cutting back on fertilizer and other expenses,” said Ross Mackenzie, of Alberta Agriculture in Lethbridge.
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Alberta south of a line running east to west through Red Deer, Alta., has seen little moisture since the end of May and the recent fires near Granum provide striking evidence of the lack of moisture.
Snow melted quickly
Snow falls in the week before Christmas left a light cover that helped provide moisture for pasture and fall-seeded crops, but at only two to 15 centimetres, it melted quickly as chinook winds brought near-record temperatures.
Soil scientists in Alberta say most farmland south of Calgary contains no available moisture in the top metre. Wind erosion in most parts of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, which is equally dry, has not been serious so far, say district agrologists but in some isolated areas blowing of topsoil has begun.
The exception is the topsoil near Granum, where fire Dec. 14 stripped pasture and crop stubble and dunes of dirt have begun to gather. Municipal graders from five communities ridged 9,000 acres of land 45 centimetres deep in an attempt to stop the erosion.
Soil was reported to be on the move south of Maple Creek, Sask., as the same high winds that fanned the Alberta fires lifted topsoil. Some fall rye crops planted in light soils had a strong start due to the delay of winter. Even the strong start hasn’t been enough and some crops are showing their roots or being cut off by blowing dirt.
“Since the last time we saw conditions like this, if we ever have, many farmers have adopted soil conservation techniques. I think that is why we aren’t seeing as much damage as we would have in the past,” said Daryl Tumbach, of Saskatchewan Agriculture in Maple Creek.
But producers with fall-seeded crops are facing major questions. Winter wheat and rye got excellent starts this year, but from Estevan, Sask., to Pincher Creek, Alta., growers are anxiously awaiting spring.
“Fall-seeded crops in general didn’t even germinate. For those that did, we can only hope the snow comes before the temperature drops too far. For the majority though we’ll have to wait and see. They may have sprouted slightly and will take off in the spring. That is one of those questions that only time will tell the answer to,” said Mackenzie.
Grazing of cattle on dry winter pasture has been an advantage for many producers as the El Nino has kept temperatures warm and the caloric needs of livestock down. But agronomists warn that as grazing continues through the winter, range condition should be monitored to prevent damage to plants that have few moisture reserves and can be vulnerable to winter freeze drying if there is no snow cover.
Allan Howard, a soil moisture specialist with Alberta Agriculture, feels the next real moisture opportunity for producers west of Manitoba will come with traditional March and April snow and rain.
“Snows before that will provide pasture and fall crops with some cover but will do little to provide the moisture needed to get a crop started. It’s all going to be about timing now. When we get it and how much,” he said.
