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 temperature
Table 3. Dates of last and first frosts
Table 4. Irrigation water applied
The winter of 2000 - 2001 was cold. Frost depth in the soil was shallow because of early snow cover before cold temperatures arrived. Spring tillage and planting times were about average. The last frost in the spring was on April 24, one week earlier than average. Early summer temperatures were cool and damp. Hot humid weather followed the cooler temperature for most of the summer. The maximum temperature surpassed 90°F 21 times. The highest temperature was 98°F on August 5. Precipitation was above average in April, August and September and below average in May, June and July. The first frost was on October 4 with a hard frost on October 5. The first frost was later than average and the hard frost the same as the ten year average. Some crops did not mature the way they should have before frost. Growing degree days (GDD) in 2001 were above average. Over all, precipitation for the year was average, temperatures were average early and were above average for the remainder of the year.
Table 1. Precipitation and temperature at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.
Month |
Precipitation |
Average daily temperatures |
||||
2001 |
15-year average |
25-year average |
2001 |
15-year average |
25-year average |
|
|
---------------- inches -------------- |
------------------ °F ------------------ |
||||
April |
2.57 |
1.53 |
|
44.3 |
43.7 |
|
May |
1.83 |
2.54 |
2.40 |
59.0 |
58.2 |
57.5 |
June |
2.68 |
3.32 |
3.28 |
66.4 |
66.9 |
65.8 |
July |
2.43 |
3.43 |
3.09 |
73.5 |
70.7 |
70.7 |
August |
2.75 |
2.00 |
1.99 |
71.5 |
69.2 |
68.2 |
September |
3.81 |
2.84 |
2.34 |
60.5 |
59.0 |
58.3 |
October |
1.77 |
1.80 |
|
45.0 |
45.8 |
|
The 25-year averages are not available for April and October.
Table 2. Growing degree units1 at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.
Month |
2001 |
10-year average |
15-year average |
20-year average |
May |
326 |
318 |
340 |
330 |
June |
480 |
483 |
506 |
489 |
July |
696 |
598 |
620 |
624 |
August |
637 |
583 |
587 |
582 |
September |
364 |
357 |
361 |
340 |
Total |
2503 |
2339 |
2414 |
2365 |
1Growing 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.
Table 3. Dates of last and first frosts.
|
2001 |
10-year average |
20-year average |
Last frost in spring |
|||
less than 32 °F |
Apr 24 |
May 1 |
May 6 |
less than 28 °F |
Apr 22 |
Apr 24 |
Apr 30 |
First frost in fall |
|||
less than 32 °F |
Oct 4 |
Sep 29 |
Sep 26 |
less than 28 °F |
Oct 5 |
Oct 5 |
Oct 1 |
|
|||
Frost free period (days) |
163 |
150.9 |
145.2 |
Table 4. Irrigation water applied, 2001.
Study |
Irrigation water applied (inches) |
|
Artichoke preliminary trial |
13.9 |
|
Broccoli hybrid performance trial |
13.9 |
|
Cabbage hybrid performance trial |
16.2 |
|
Cabbage weed control study |
14.9 |
|
Carrot hybrid performance trial |
|
|
|
Baby carrot |
8.8 |
Cut and peel |
11.8 |
|
Cello |
13.6 |
|
Processing |
14.3 |
|
Carrot weed control study |
14.3 |
|
Cauliflower hybrid performance trial |
13.9 |
|
Edible bean white mold studies |
11.8 |
|
Field corn hybrid performance trial |
13.7 |
|
Onion hybrid performance trial |
14.5 |
|
Onion weed control study |
14.5 |
|
Pepper performance trial |
15.1 |
|
Crops previous to potato studies |
|
|
|
Study started in 2000 |
16.3 |
Study started in 2001 |
14.6 |
|
Potato planting configuration |
13.5 |
|
Pumpkin cover crop and living mulch |
13.5 |
|
Pumpkin variety performance trial |
13.9 |
|
Soybean variety performance trial |
14.6 |
|
‘Sugar enhanced’ sweet corn performance trial |
11.9 |
|
‘Supersweet’ sweet corn performance trial |
11.0 |
|
Tomato disease study |
11.3 |
|
Winter squash variety performance trial |
13.9 |