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Rains becoming more intense, more sporadic

Farmers are seeing heavier, more irregular rains.              

The Illinois state climatologist says rainfall events are becoming more intense and more sporadic.  Dr. Trent Ford tells Brownfield…

“When we do get rain, especially in the warm season, because that’s when we can get the right dynamics to create that heavy rainfall, it’s falling just heavier overall.”  He says, “So we  may get two or three inches, but it falls in an hour instead of 12 hours.”

He says farmers are having to adapt.

“From an erosion and soil conservation standpoint, when you have that much rain falling in a short period of time, it has a lot of power.”  He says, “It has a lot of energy with it, and so it has a higher erosion capability as well as a higher runoff capability.”

Ford says conservation practices that enhance soil health can improve a field’s water holding capacity.

Ford spoke with Brownfield at the annual meeting of the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts.

AUDIO: Trent Ford – Illinois state climatologist