Parts of state are inundated with copious mid-May rainfall

PERRYVILLE — Perry County extension agent Jesse Bocksnick didn’t even have to go outside to know how much rain had fallen in the past week.

“It’s never good when you get calls on how long the crops can stay submerged and live,” he said.

All across Arkansas, rowcrop and cattle farmers were keeping their eyes on their fields and pastures, as well as on the river-crest reports following the previous days’ heavy rain. The National Weather Service reported a record daily rainfall on May 11 in North Little Rock at 3.01 inches and 2.86 inches in Hot Springs. The forecast for the coming days was no comfort, either. At least a 30 percent chance of rain remained in the forecast each day through May 18.

Flood warnings were in effect May 14 for the White River at Georgetown, Clarendon, Augusta and Patterson; the Black River at Black Rock; the Arkansas River at Morrilton and Toad Suck Lock and Dam, and Pine Bluff; and the Ouachita River at Camden, and Thatcher Lock and Dam.

Kevin Lawson, an extension corn verification coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the “[Arkansas] River Valley is taking it on the chin, due to the heavy rains,

in soybeans, corn and wheat.”

Lawson, who also lives in Perry County, tweeted about how deep the water was at his home, saying, “How do you know your road is flooded? When fish become road kill.” The tweet included a couple of photos of a sizable carp cruising the grassy margin on the side of the road.

On May 11, Hot Spring County extension agent David Stritzinger took a photo of cattle stranded on an island of grass — the herd cut off by the rising Ouachita River.

“About 10 people helped swim them across and hauled about 50 head to higher ground,” he said on May 14. “Another producer is still looking for about 20 lost cattle.”

Near the Texas-Arkansas border, Miller County extension agent Jennifer Caraway

drove the county to see how crops were faring.

“On the Texas side, there have been farmers moving cattle to higher ground, but we haven’t heard of anyone doing so yet on the Arkansas side,” she said May 14. “Although it rained all day Wednesday, which had us a little nervous, it was only a slow rain that never picked up, probably just around a half-inch or so.

“It was supposed to rain again (May 14 and 15), but so far nothing, which has eased the stress of the flooding becoming a concern,” Caraway said at the time.

Caraway said fields were saturated, but corn and beans still looked good, and the wheat was starting to turn golden.

In Little River County, some bean, corn and wheat fields were submerged for two to three days, said Joe Paul Stuart, county extension staff chair. He said the Red River was expected to crest May

14, but more rain was in the forecast.

For more information, contact a county extension office or visit www.uaex.edu.