Oakes Irrigation Research
Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2189, FAX: (701)
742-2700, email: rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Table 1. Precipitation and temperatures
Table 3. Frost dates and growing season
The winter of 1997-1998 was mild. Frost depth in the soil was shallow throughout the winter. Spring tillage and planting times were close to average. Early summer temperatures were good for crop growth. Warm, but not hot, weather from May through September pushed the crops along. Temperatures were below average in June, slightly above average in May, July, August and October, and above average in April and September. The maximum temperature surpassed 90F six times in July, and three times in September. The highest temperature was 94F on September 10 and September 18. Precipitation was below average in July and September, and above average in April, May and August. Precipitation for June (10.21 inches) and October (6.65 inches) set record highs for those months. The first frost was on October 1 with a hard frost on October 13. These frost dates were about one and two weeks later than average. Most crops matured before frost.
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Table 1. Precipitation and temperature at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.
Month | Precipitation | Average daily temperatures | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | 25-year average | 15-year average | 1998 | 25-year average | 15-year average | |
---------------- inches --------------- | ------------------ F ---------------- | |||||
April | 2.33 | 48.7 | ||||
May | 3.47 | 2.51 | 2.29 | 60.4 | 57.9 | 56.9 |
June | 10.21 | 3.28 | 3.32 | 63.1 | 66.7 | 65.9 |
July | 1.69 | 3.23 | 2.79 | 72.1 | 70.3 | 70.9 |
August | 2.32 | 1.96 | 2.01 | 71.4 | 68.6 | 68.0 |
September | 0.78 | 2.43 | 1.95 | 64.0 | 58.2 | 57.9 |
October | 6.65 | 1.95 | 48.1 |
The 15 and 25-year averages are not available for April and October.
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Table 2. Growing degree units at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.
Month | 1998 | 10-year average | 15-year average | 20-year average |
---|---|---|---|---|
May | 370 | 325 | 341 | 328 |
June | 423 | 495 | 501 | 485 |
July | 666 | 591 | 610 | 616 |
August | 660 | 583 | 571 | 569 |
September | 458 | 372 | 343 | 345 |
Total | 2577 | 2365 | 2365 | 2344 |
Growing degree units = (Tempmax + Tempmin)/2 - 50. If Tempmax is greater than 86, then Tempmax = 86. If Tempmin is less than 50, then Tempmin = 50. Temperature is in degrees F.
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Table 3. Dates of last and first frosts.
1998 | 10-year average | 20-year average | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Last frost in spring | ||||
less than 32o F | Apr 18 | May 8 | May 9 | |
less than 28o F | Apr 16 | Apr 30 | May 2 | |
First frost in fall | ||||
less than 32o F | Oct 1 | Sep 28 | Sep 25 | |
less than 28o F | Oct 13 | Oct 5 | Oct 1 | |
Frost free period (days) | 166 | 143.0 | 139.5 |
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Table 4. Irrigation water applied, 1998.
Study | Irrigation water applied |
---|---|
inches | |
Asparagus preliminary trial | 15.0 |
Cabbage cover crop and weed control studies | 15.6 |
Cabbage performance trial | 16.3 |
Carrot fertility study | 17.4 |
Carrot performance trial and Benlate studies | 21.7 |
Cauliflower performance trial | 15.0 |
Edible bean white mold study | 17.6 |
Field corn hybrid performance trial | 14.8 |
Herbicide carryover study | 16.7 |
Lettuce performance trial (1st planting) | 10.0 |
Lettuce performance trial (2nd planting) | 12.5 |
Onion studies | 17.3 |
Ornamental corn performance trial | 16.5 |
Pepper weed control study | 17.8 |
Pepper performance trials | 16.2 |
Potato weed control studies | 16.0 |
Pumpkin performance trial | 16.2 |
Radish performance trial | 2.3 |
Raspberry preliminary study | 15.0 |
Seed onion production study | 14.6 |
Sweet corn performance trial | 11.8 |
Tomato performance trial | 17.9 |
Tomato weed control study | 18.2 |
Winter squash performance trial | 16.2 |
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