Andrew Nadler

 

 

Farmers are facing above-normal risk potential of spring flooding.

"One of the big factors, at this point, is how wet the soil is. A dry soil will absorb more of the snowmelt, whereas a frozen, wet soil will cause more runoff. So going into fall with wet soil has augmented the risk," says Andrew Nadler, agri-meteorologist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.

He notes snowfall amounts have also been conducive to flooding.

"But then there are other factors such as what the water equivalent is within the snow, what kind of melt there is, what kind of weather we get in spring," he says. The depth of frost, the nature of river ice and the timing and spatial distribution of the spring melt are also determinants.

"We really don't know what any of those are going to bring but certainly if we look at the risk factors that we know already, there's certainly some risk out there."

Nadler discussed the flood potential for this spring at St. Jean Farm Days.

~ Friday, January 7, 2011 ~