Oakes Irrigation Research Site
Carrington Research Extension CenterNorth Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Phone: (701) 742-2744, FAX: (701) 742-2700, E-mail: Walter.Albus@ndsu.edu

WEATHER AND IRRIGATION 2009

Table 1.  Precipitation and temperature

Table 2.  Growing degree units

Table 3.  Dates of last and first frosts

Table 4.  Irrigation water applied

                                                                             

 

        The winter of 2008 - 2009 was colder than average with early snow cover that continued into spring.  Spring flooding throughout the area delayed field operations.  The last frost in the spring was on May 10, about 7 days later than average.  Summer temperatures were cooler than average for most of the growing season except for September.  The maximum temperature equaled or exceeded 90°F twice; once in June and once in August.  The highest temperature was 92°F on June 26.  Precipitation was above average in April, June, August, and October; below average in May, July, and September.  Total annual precipitation was above average.  The average daily temperatures were near average in April and May and below average in June, July, August, and October.  A hot September with temperatures averaging 5 degrees above normal saved the soybean and corn crops.  The first frost on October 8 was a hard frost, as the temperature dipped to 25°F.  Initial frost came about a week later than normal. The first killing frost was 3 days later than the normal.   Although it was close, most beans reached maturity before frost.  Only corn planted in late April into the first week of May were able to mature before the killing frost. This resulted in high moisture and low test weight corn at harvest.  Growing degree units in 2009 were below average.

 

Table 1.  Precipitation and temperature at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.                   

 

Month

Precipitation

Average daily temperatures

2009

15-year average

25-year average

2009

15-year average

25-year average

-------------------------- inches ------------------------

--------------------------°F --------------------------

April

1.42

1.34

1.65

42

43

44

May

0.54

3.31

2.98

56

56

57

June

6.53

4.22

3.72

64

66

66

July

2.30

3.07

3.20

67

71

71

August

4.42

2.28

2.26

67

69

68

September

2.23

3.02

2.66

64

60

59

October

4.73

2.50

1.89

40

46

45

 

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Table 2.  Growing degree units1 at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site.

Month

2009

10-year average

15-year average

25-year average

May

309

296

291

325

June

434

490

495

497

July

529

648

639

627

August

518

573

586

570

September

438

385

377

360

Total

2228

2392

2388

2379

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.

 

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Table 3.  Dates of last and first frosts.

2009

10-year average

15-year average

25-year average

Last frost in spring

32 °F or less

May 10

May 3

May 1

May 3

28 °F or less

Apr 10

Apr 27

Apr 26

Apr 28

First frost in fall

32 °F or less

Oct 8

Oct 4

Oct 3

Sep 30

28 °F or less

Oct 8

Oct 7

Oct 7

Oct 5

Frost free period (days)

151

154

154

150

 

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Table 4.  Irrigation water applied, 2009.

 

Study

Irrigation water applied

inches

Barley variety trial

6.9

Carbon sequestration study

corn on corn

9.5

corn on onion

9.5

soybean on corn

9.5

Dry edible bean trials

pinto bean variety trial

7.5

miscellaneous edible bean variety trial

7.5

navy bean variety trial

7.5

Field corn hybrid performance trial

10.8

Field corn variety and row width study

10.4

Hard red spring wheat variety trial

6.9

Onion hybrid performance trial

14.0

Onion conventional vs strip-till

14.0

Onion weed control study

14.0

Potato variety trial

11.6

Soybean nursery

conventional early

8.3

conventional late

8.0

natto

9.8

tufo

9.8

Soybean variety performance trial

9.3

Strip-till

corn on soybean

10.3

soybean on corn

8.3

corn on corn

6.8

Sugar beet conventional tillage vs strip-till  trial

13.3

Sugar beet roundup ready variety trial

11.8

Sunflower head rot study*

2.0

*Received several additional inches irrigation via the misting system

 

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