DROUGHT COULD BE OFFICIALLY DECLARED

(06/01/2007)

It's dry. Calhoun gardeners say their gardens are not doing well because of the lack of rain, lawns are turning brown. Drought conditions that struck the region in the late 90s appear to be returning. Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass said he's about a week to 10 days from asking Gov. Joe Manchin and the Legislature to declare a drought emergency and restart a decade-old program to transport water to farmers in need. Douglass said this week that disaster conditions are pending. He says everything from soybeans and tomatoes to sweet corn will be in short supply by summer's end. "Many people did get their corn planted, but the growth is nowhere near normal," Douglass said. "Those individuals that planted within the past two weeks or so, there is no moisture to germinate, and it's just lying there. He said in many areas corn and soybeans will likely be failing crops. Douglass said farmers count on a spring rainfall of 6.8 to 7.4 inches by the end of May. So far, the agriculture department has recorded an average of less than 1 inch statewide, he said. "That's dire," he said. Water supplies in many parts of the region are dwindling.

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