“There is very little crop that has been planted into moisture and has got up.
There have been chickpeas sown as deep as nine inches (23cm) and wheat that has gone in almost that deep.
It looks okay, but will obviously need rain,” he said.
“With the good prices for sorghum and cotton, if nothing happens in the next few weeks I think people will forget about winter crop and look at a summer crop or long fallow.” Mr Dawson said the rain predicted for next week could be useful if it was substantial, but would do more harm than good if the falls were only light.
We’d prefer the rain to come later in September/October when the summer cropping opportunities open up.” On the Darling Downs in southern Queensland, crop consultant, Matthew Holding, said the lowest percentage of winter crop had been planted that he had ever seen.
At this point in time, as a consultant I don’t have a single chickpea crop to look at and only a little bit of irrigated wheat and barley,” he said.
“They will still plant chickpeas, wheat and barley until the middle of July on the Downs.
“In the background, it will be a shame if we can’t get winter crop in but it is not overly dire for growers because sorghum and cotton prices are so good that, if they miss the winter sowing opportunity, they will just move on to the next one.” Central Queensland In Central Queensland (CQ), Spackman Iker Ag Consulting director and Crop Consultants Australia president, Jamie Iker, said the winter crop was “fairly dismal”.
“Some wheat and barley both went in early on some moisture, but it was marginal moisture.
“If there is rain after that it builds moisture profiles for a potential spring crop, but more likely a summer crop.

ATCHISON, Kan. — Moderate drought may be plaguing Northeast Kansas counties, but the dryness isn’t about to prevent a group of state officials from pursuing safeguards for the resource’s future.
Among the more prominent and obvious topics was the current drought.
“It’s moving this way,” he said during a conversation with Alan Kelley of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, who shares those concerns.
In line with countering drought’s long-term effects, the group heard updates on a rollout of an online campaign initiative dubbed Kansas Runs on Water.
Kirk Tjelmeland, a water resource officer for the state office, said the effort aims to provide information on water-related issues to the public.
“The whole idea behind this is to have one umbrella for education,” Tjelmeland told members.
Yet trying to secure a full budget is already proving to be a challenge.
“It’s one of those things that takes dollars,” he said.
Andrea Brookfield, of the Kansas Geological Survey, updated the committee on the progress of meeting the area’s groundwater goals.
Brookfield said the survey will continue developing an online mapping tool to display the known wells.

(File photo by Joshua Bowling/Cronkite News) PHOENIX – Water managers in Arizona again are trying to strike a deal that would help prepare the state for future cuts to its water supply if Lake Mead drops below specific levels, which could come as early as 2020.
And as Arizona tries again, the six other states in the vast Colorado River Basin – Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Wyoming and New Mexico – are watching intently.
In 2017, the United States and Mexico agreed to a new strategy that would lead to increased savings of water by Mexico, but that agreement will only go into effect if Arizona, California and Nevada finalize internal agreements that will allow its agencies to join the drought plan for the Lower Basin.
Doug Ducey held a series of water meetings last year that ended in a stalemate between the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Central Arizona Project, which pumps Colorado River water to Phoenix and Tucson.
Progress on Arizona’s drought plan had stalled.
“On the one hand, I don’t want to say that the only reason that Tom and I are (embarking on) this initiative is because we’ve been pressured to do so by folks,” Cooke said of the renewed effort to finish the plan.
“On the other hand, I don’t want to say it’s a complete coincidence of timing.” Buschatzke said having Burman kick off a public process will remind people that Arizona has been better off when it avoided lawsuits.
Eyes on Arizona Fights and litigation would only delay a coordinated response to rising temperatures and falling water levels in Lakes Mead and Powell, the largest reservoirs on the Colorado.
“It puts pressure on Denver Water as a municipal utility, taking water out of the Colorado River,” he said, “and it exacerbates historic animosities and relationships between western Colorado and Denver Water.” Lochhead sent a letter to the CAP in April threatening to pull out of a program to conserve water unless the Lower Basin made real progress on its drought plan.
Arizona issues But before it can sign a Lower Basin plan, Arizona needs its own deal.

Met Eireann has warned that there is a risk of drought conditions developing – especially in the south-east of the country – over the coming week, as soil moisture deficits increase.
As it stands, soil moisture deficits are “highly positive” through much of Leinster and Munster.
With anticyclonic conditions dominating our weather for at least the next week, the deficits are only going to increase countrywide, Met Eireann stated.
By this time next week, deficits are likely to range from 30mm in the north-west to as high as 80mm over the south-east, with the risk of drought conditions developing, it added.
Farmers in the south-east have been under increasing pressure over the past few weeks, with reports of dairy farmers already feeding silage and additional dairy nuts in order to sustain milk yields.
Meanwhile, following on from the difficult weather conditions experienced this spring – which left tillage farmers with significant backlogs of work – the lack of recent rainfall in the south-east has negatively impacted crops.
Temperatures to exceed 20º Tonight is set to remain dry with good clear spells, with temperatures dropping to between 5º and 8º.
Dry and sunny spells are forecast to continue tomorrow, Friday.
Conditions are set to remain dry and cool overnight.
It also looks as if there will be a danger of a few thundery showers midweek.

RICHMOND,Arkansas – Little River County gets some much needed rain, but local farmers say it isn’t enough.They say this drought is different.
"We got three inches of rain last night,that’s going to help for sure, but we’re going to have more to follow," Chas Davis, farmer.
Farming has been in the Davis family for more more than 100 years.
Chuck Davis says this is the worst drought he’s ever seen this time of year.
Seems like the droughts are getting to be the norm now days, we have droughts pretty regularly.
So far irrigation is getting them through, but it’s not easy.
Everybody all the farmers.
That’s all they’re doing right now is chasing water," said Chas.
"We have to have hae for the cattle for the winter , so if we don’t get the rains to continue to get the hay going to bail .We’re either going to have to sale cattle or bring hay in from other places and if we don’t get anything on the crops.
Then their not going to yield.

But a “mild” drought has prompted the Brown County Water Improvement District to activate Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency Plan as of Thursday, which calls for a voluntary 5 percent reduction in water use among water customers.
Our water system is under Stage 1 water-use restrictions as of Thursday.
Voluntary restrictions ‒ Customers are encouraged to limit nonessential water use to prevent further restrictions.
‒ Customers are specifically encouraged to limit watering for landscape use, and to only water after 7 p.m. and before 10 a.m. ‒ Outdoor restrictions — none at this time.
Water conservation tips Customers are encouraged to reduce their water usage as much as possible.
Try following a few of the following tips: ‒ About 50 percent of water used outdoors is wasted due to improper installation, maintenance, and use of watering systems.
Faucet leaks can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water a year.
‒ Test your toilet for leaks; a leaking toilet can waste up to 73,000 gallons of water a year.
To test, add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet to the water in the tank, but do not flush the toilet.
‒ Look for water-efficient models when replacing plumbing fixtures or appliances.

Homeowners know that irrigation is a necessary but never-ending task for gardens and the overall landscape.
In such a case, he said, switch quickly to more drought-tolerant plants, and to practices such as adding compost and mulch, which hold water.
If water restrictions have been mandated by your community, then determine exactly what they cover.
“If not too severe, they may just cover lawn sprinklers and not watering of gardens,” Perry said.
Watering should be directed toward your choicest plants, expensive or special ones — perhaps family heirloom plants and those newly planted and not yet established.
“You may need to let them shrivel and crisp up.
But they may just go dormant and revive after a rainy period returns.” Plan your landscape not only for beauty but for irrigation, said Sheri Dorn, an extension horticulturist with the University of Georgia.
It all starts with the soil, she said.
Long-standing droughts can be damaging, but intelligent gardening means you might be able to save your water and the plants, too, Perry said.
• Water deeply and less often, rather than frequently and for shorter periods.

Gov.
Kate Brown declared an emergency in two Oregon counties due to drought conditions, she announced in a press release.
Douglas County is the first county west of the Cascades to be declared an emergency.
"That means we must continue our urgent work to build communities that are ready for the challenges of climate change.
I have directed state agencies stand ready to help and work with local communities to provide assistance."
Citing the effects on animals and the environment from millions of tons of plastic waste, the Portland City Council is poised to pass a resolution Wednesday restricting use of plastic straws and other single-use plastics.
Plastic straws are one of the most common forms of waste, it said, and cannot be recycled.
An outright straw-ban is not mentioned in the resolution.
If the Portland City Council adopts the resolution, the city will join Seattle, San Francisco, Berkeley, Boulder and Vancouver, British Columbia as other big — and liberal-leaning — cities to move away from use of plastic straws.
— Gordon R. Friedman 503-221-8209

Alan Whelan 19 June 2018 Trócaire supporters are helping to bring hope to survivors of drought in Kenya, where we have provided emergency aid to over 27,000 people.
This has improved access to water for both livestock and for human consumption.
Thanks to the support of the Irish public, Trócaire’s has been able to respond to the crisis, providing water, food and cash.
This drought has killed millions of the livestock that people depend on for their survival.
Trócaire has been distributing food aid and cash transfers in Turkana through the Diocese of Lodwar.
The food packages she received from the Diocese of Lodwar have been vital for her to survive.
Without his livestock he has had no way to provide for himself.
He told us that previous cash support he received was crucial for his survival.
She says she prefers cash instead of food support.
As an elderly person she needs to buy food that is appropriate for her needs.

Douglas became the first county west of the Cascades declared under a drought emergency after an executive order signed by Gov.
Kate Brown Thursday.
Baker County was also declared under a drought emergency last week following low rainfall and snowpack levels across the state.
“All signs point to another record-breaking drought and wildfire season for Oregon,” Brown said in a prepared statement.
“That means we must continue our urgent work to build communities that are ready for the challenges of climate change.
I have directed state agencies stand ready to help and work with local communities to provide assistance."
Earlier this month, Douglas County Commissioners declared a drought emergency citing, in part, low water levels at the Galesville and Berry Creek Dams.
In an earlier interview with The News-Review, Douglas Forest Protective Association spokesman Kyle Reed said this year’s fire season isn’t looking positive; the region is 12 inches behind on rainfall, and didn’t get the same snowpack it had last year.
The National Weather Service in Medford reports Douglas County is expected to receive above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall over the summer months.
Drought emergencies are already in effect in Klamath, Grant, Harney and Lake counties.