Area, state drought conditions improving.
Much of Morgan, Limestone and Lawrence counties and the state seem to be gradually emerging from the drought conditions that gripped Alabama last year.
Locally, cattle ponds are full again, streams are flowing and moisture is present in the soil, said Mike Reeves, the Morgan County Extension coordinator for the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.
Much of the northern half of Lawrence County is in the severe drought category.
The latest local drought conditions are much improved from three months ago when north Lawrence County, south Limestone County and northwest Morgan County were in extreme drought condition, according to the Drought Monitor.
Reeves said the drought forced farmers to delay planting wheat and small grains that they would normally plant in October and December.
Cattle farmers were not able to plant rye grass for winter grazing because of the drought, Reeves and Stisher said.
Some farmers whose ponds went dry used the opportunity to increase their ponds’ storage capacity by dredging or expanding the size, Stisher said.
Three months ago, the entire state was in one of the five drought categories.
A year ago the entire state was drought free.