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Friday, March 14, 1997

Rains keeping much of West Texas happily moist

SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) - San Angelo area fields are so wet right now that farmers and ranchers can't get into them.

And they wouldn't want it any other way.

"They'd rather be behind on their field work than be like they were last year when they had everything done way ahead of time but they didn't have any moisture in the ground because of the drought," said Jerry Multer, manager of the Wall Co-Op.

A moist fall was followed by more than six inches of rain this winter, better than the 2-1/2-inch historical average and far exceeding the bone-dry winters of recent times.

About 35 farmers relaxed at the co-op on a recent morning, laughing and drinking coffee while their muddy fields prevented them from working.

"We've still got a lot of preparation to do and some people are a little nervous about getting it all done, but not enough to turn down a good rain," Multer said.

Moisture is running at or ahead of normal throughout West Texas, except for the Trans-Pecos region between Midland-Odessa and El Paso. Rainfall there is running about 77 percent of normal, according to the most recent state figures.

Rain totals in South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley are running about half of normal.

Zane Willard of the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association called the rainfall nothing less than salvation for the sheep and goat industry.

"It's probably going to be as good a spring as we've had in years," Willard said. "It's the best thing that could have happened for us."

Multer called it the best winter for farmers since 1991. He said the area's winter wheat crop is in excellent shape and that the timing of the rainfall is perfect for the upcoming sorghum and cotton planting seasons.

"We've basically had four years of drought and one year when the (cotton-destroying) beet armyworm got us," Multer said Wednesday. "So this is excellent. Just excellent." Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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