4-11 IAN Vaughn Jensen

 Rain, rain go away…say some farmers.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s snow surveyors recently completed the April 1 snow measurements and found that March’s above average precipitation ensures an adequate summer water supply for Idaho's numerous water users.

 “With more snowy days than sunny ones in March, snowpacks increased measurably and now range from 100-140% of average for most Idaho basins,” said Ron Abramovich, Water Supply Specialist with the Idaho NRCS.

 That’s a good news-bad news depending on what you want to do. Listen to Emmett farmer Vaughn Jensen’s side of the story. “This year may be the latest date that we have gone to the field with the tractors. So far the latest we have ever gone to the field is April 11 and we aren’t there yet but we’re getting close. What does this do in terms of impacting your crop? We are going to have to cut some of our spring wheat plantings because it is getting too late to plant spring wheat. We are worried that crop development won’t be far enough along when the hot weather comes. It also compresses the amount of time we have two do the fieldwork. Does that mean that there are negative economic consequences here? We hope not. Were going to try to do everything we can once we get going. And what does that entail other than manufacturing sunshine? Well when we finally get rolling we are going to double shift on the tractors, we’ve got different friends and neighbors lined up to help keep things rolling. We need to get things done as quickly as possible.