Heavy rain floods local farmland

Dickinson County experienced some flooding following heavy amounts of rainfall last month. From April 10 to June 10, Spirit Lake alone received 15.79 inches of rainfall — more than double the typical amount for the area.

According to Collin Klingbeil, county engineer, nearly 4,000 acres of land were drained in drainage district 41 alone, leading to a request for a contract to build a rock chute in the area to assist in diverting flood water. The current estimates for the rock chute range anywhere from $80,000 to $95,000.

"There's been a lot running over the bank, the bank is steep, and it doesn't hold up well to a lot of water flowing over it fast," Klingbeil said. "That's too much water for that sort of setup we have there."

This is the sixth-wettest start to a year on record, according to Iowa State University, with nearly 17 inches of rain statewide. That rainfall is more than 40 percent above average, and nearly half of the rain fell during the month of May.

A state average showed 3.41 inches of rainfall combined, triple the amount than normally expected. This marks the end of the state's longest recorded drought in over 70 years.

According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the rain set a new precedent for the state after four years of drought, this being the first time during the early summer that no drought had been experienced in the entire state of Iowa. Comparatively, approximately 83 percent of the state had been experiencing a drought at the start of 2024.

"The rain has built up over time and become very saturated," said Gentry Sorenson of the Iowa State University Ag Extension. "It's led to some ponding in the fields, very wet conditions overall. We've received lots of rainfall in a small period of time, making it difficult for farmers in general to access their fields and plant."

As of June 2, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, 92 percent of the state's corn crop has been planted, along with 84 percent of the soybeans — approximately five days behind schedule. Many farmers have had to evaluate their fields, and in some instances of ponding, have needed to replant smaller areas. While current losses are unknown, Sorenson says that the rainfall has pushed back the planting date substantially.

Thankfully, the dry spell Dickinson County experienced this last week has allowed for some of the water levels to go down, and for replanting and cover crops to be administered to some areas.

"A lot of water has gone down in many of the fields," Sorenson said. "In some instances, they had to replant. There's plenty of post-emergency applications for herbicide going through. Many will have to wait for their land to dry, and if it's not too late in the season by then, they can still plant beans. If they're still wet, and they're not able to get into the field, they do have the option to take some time to prevent plant on those fields. A lot of these decisions are individually based."

While there is no easy way to prevent flooding in the future, according to Sorenson, local farmers have plenty of options to assist them during the current predicament. Sorenson encourages farmers to reach out to the Iowa State University Ag Extension to help with their decisions, and to consult with their respective crop insurance agents.