Local News - June 2002

Lincoln suffering from long drought

By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer

June 24, 2002 - Lincoln County is thirsty.

Hot, dry weather has taken its toll.

For farmers — who consider the weather a part of their business — things are tight.

Clouds of dust chase farmers on tractors, and crops like corn are not growing to full potential.

While the dry weather is good for grain harvest, it’s detrimental to crops like corn and soybeans.

“In the farming community, the last three years have been bad,” said John Blanton, who has been farming for 20 years. “Anytime you’re not having to mow your lawn, nothing’s growing.”

The drought causes somewhat of a snowball effect. Since grass is not growing in cow pastures, farmers are forced to feed grain to the cattle. That grain is usually conserved for colder months.

“What will we feed them this winter?” Blanton said.

George Lutz, who has farmed all his life, said the dry weather is stunting crop growth.

“It’s getting up toward the worst I’ve ever seen,” Lutz said.  “There’s nothing we can do about it.”

The county has not ended the year with a positive amount of rainfall since 1998.

The county was 4.89 inches below normal in 1999, 6.46 inches below in 2000, 10.01 inches below in 2001 and, five and a half months into 2002, Lincoln is already 10.42 inches below normal.

The drought has lasting effects, said county Extension Director Kevin Starr.

“As it continues to go the concern grows,” Starr said. The immediate need for rain is one thing, but a diminished water supply is another.”

Starr said throughout much of the county, wells are going dry.

“It’s affecting everybody,” Starr said. “Anybody who depends on a private water source.”

Commissioner Larry Craig said at the June 17 commissioners meeting that he has received eight or ten calls in the last couple of weeks from people who are concerned about their water supplies.

“Water is becoming a critical issue in Lincoln County,” Craig said.

Craig said the need is tremendous, and he asked that commissioners work toward trying to help those in need.

“As the summer goes on and the drought continues, that’s going to be a real critical problem that we’re going to be up against,” he said. 

Long-term effects need to be examined now, he said.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” he said.  “Some (people) with water may not have it next year.”

Craig said funding is a big issue. It will have to be determined how close people are to existing water lines and how many people could tap on. 

“It’s a matter of finding them and getting people to agree.”

Commission Chairman Jerry Cochrane suggested Monday that County Manager Stan Kiser and Steve Gilbert, director of public utilities, look into the matter and report back to the board at the next meeting.

Kiser said they will be looking at the line extension policy. He and Gilbert will try to figure out the cost of extending lines, as well as how many customers are required to agree to the service.

“We’ve got to look at what’s the best thing for the county,” Craig said.

“We’re in the water business. The most critical issue facing the county is the drought situation.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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