Not quite bone dry, but getting close
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NICK PEDLEY/SENTINEL-NEWS
Like every other body of water in northwest Iowa, the Ocheyedan River (pictured here near Everly) is extremely low due to the ongoing drought.
The Ocheyedan River west of Everly had more grass growing in its bed than water flowing through it Tuesday evening. This summer's drought has greatly affected streamflow in local rivers, creeks and ditches, with many having dried up or been reduced to a trickle.
According to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, a majority of Clay County is experiencing severe drought-like conditions, with a finger in the northeast corner classifed in extreme drought. O'Brien County was faring better, with roughly half the county experiencing severe drought while the other half is labeled under moderate drought. A tiny sliver in the northwest corner of the county was doing better yet, as it was only classified as abnormally dry.
The drought monitor's scale includes six stages: None, abnormally dry, moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought.
According to the latest crop report by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, topsoil moisture levels in Iowa rated 24 percent very short, 40 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 27 percent very short, 42 percent short, 31 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Northwest, central and east central Iowa had the lowest subsoil moisture levels in the state, with more than 80 percent rated short to very short.
Corn in or beyond the dough stage reached 90 percent, six days ahead of the 5-year average. Forty-seven percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage or beyond, four days ahead of normal. There were scattered reports of corn reaching the mature stage. Some producers have begun chopping silage.
Iowa's corn condition rated 58 percent good to excellent. Soybeans setting pods reached 95 percent, eight days ahead of normal. Five percent of soybeans were coloring. There were a few reports of soybeans dropping leaves. Soybean condition was rated 61 percent good to excellent. Sudden death syndrome was observed in some soybean fields across the state.
