Agricultural News
Lake Altus-Lugert Levels Rise to Full Capacity, Ag Producers Rejoice
Thu, 11 Jun 2015 15:11:33 CDT
Soil and water storage conditions have drastically improved in southwest Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the Lugert-Altus reservoir has improved substantially in recent weeks. As of Monday, the reservoir was at 103 percent with 131-thousand acre feet. That is well-above the reservoir's normal capacity of 128-thousand acre feet.
Tom Buchanan is the President of Oklahoma Farm Bureau. He also serves as the manager for the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District, the state's only irrigation district. He said water supply levels have drastically improved for the Lugert-Altus reservoir.
"About three weeks ago, it was sitting at nine percent capacity and in that three week time frame it went to 119 percent," Buchanan said. "So, we reached flood stage, we have a full lake. We got enough water to irrigate probably at least two crops with. Things have improved dramatically in southwest Oklahoma, as it has across Oklahoma from a moisture stand point. We're greatly encouraged."
For many farmers in the region, this is the first time in several years that there is enough water for irrigated cotton. Buchanan said 2010 was the last time farmers were able to have a fully irrigated long season cotton crop.
"The irrigated cotton is planted, it's in the field, it's all emerged, growing very fast, looks real, real good," he said.
In past years, farmers and the irrigation district was concerned over the lack of water available to meet all of needs from agricultural, municipalities and recreation. Buchanan said this year the irrigation district has water to sell, but it might be too late in the season to get that excess water sold, but a lot will depend on the weather this summer.
The recent above average precipitation has greatly aided drought recovery in the state as well as the outlook and attitude of agricultural producers. Buchanan said was concerned about welfare of state's producers and seeing the mentality anxiety level increasing among producers before it started raining this spring.
"I'm not sure everybody understands that, but if you've been a producer your entire life - actually producing a commodity - year after year after year, then the drought hits you like it has here and you went for a number of years - three, four and potentially five (years) and not producing, you started to question your self-worth," Buchanan said. "That's the type of people that we are in agriculture and that makes sense. So, today they are much improved, they're excited, they're invigorated, the country is just alive again. It's a great thing."
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