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Sadie f das "the Bryan 8 1 16 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, March 28, 1989 Drought is worse right now, than in last summer's heatwave (From page 1) Derek Smith is an expert on wells. As Hydro Geology Tech- nologist for the Ontario Minis- try of the Environment, he doesn't like to be too negative, but he admits a good chunk of the province will be having seri- ous water shortages if the up- ment Canada, the reason for the problemis lack of precipitation. In 1988, he said precipitation was down 30% below normal. And what rain and snow did fall came in short bursts. Abrupt, vi- olent thunderstorms don't in- crease water levels, he pointed out. What's needed is slow, [AY Ceclle and Ted Kirk have had more than their fair share of water problems since their hot, dry summer." Without a solid snow cover, he said crops such as wheat and al- falfa are "very susceptible" to damage caused by freezing, thawing and strong winds. Without a fair amount of run- off, roots won't get a chance to migrate and sink into a good wa- / / J well ran dry last summer. After spending more than $3,000 having water trucked in to thelr Utica area farm, they called in a well driller, What's worse, the Kirks are not alone--this area years. See story for detalls. coming summer is as dry as the last. Even now, at the end of March, when most of Ontario is frosted with winter's last gasp, 'and water traditionally is the least of people's problems, wells aredryingup allover "We're swamped with wells going dry," he told the Star last week. "All over Ontario. All over the eastern seaboard." Two test wells dug by the Min- istry are confirming the infor- mation he receives every week . from frustrated farmers and homeowners, most of whom sa the same thing--they haven't had a dry well in 10 to 20 years. "IT don't remember getting 80 many calls and complaints," he said. One of the test wells (both are about 20 feet deep) is in Milton. Mr. Smith said that one dried up in February. ' The other one is near Cavan, and he figures it has been empty since December. "In Milton, the well has set general trend. It was dry for part of the summer, but with rainfall in Novernber, we start- ed seeing the water level recov- ering," he explained. "But even then it was not up to what you'd call the seasonal level." He added, "It does seem to be becoming more and more of a problem since last month." According to Climatologist th, from Environ- drizzly rain and heavy snow cov- er. "The first three months of this year have continued that dry weather trend," Mr. Smith said. He doesn't have any hard an- swers to the question of why there hasn't been as much pre- cipitation. While scientists wrestle over the greenhouse ef- fect, the ozone layer and other possible explanations, Mr. Smith said, simply, "This year the major snowstorms missed most of central and southern Ontario. We never really estab- lished a snow cover." In areas further north, snow hasn't been a problem. Mr. Smith said the Muskoka Air- port, for example, recorded more snow than usual--600 cm. compared to the 300 cm. aver- age. "They've had mild weather too so some of it has melted," he admitted. "But they have had snow." Scugog hasn't been so lucky. A heavy snow cover means plen- ty of spring run-off to replenish wells and a good soaking for farmers' fields--a necessary in- gredient for successful crop yields. "There's certainly concern about the lack of snowfall," said Bill Baxter, Agricultural Repre- sentative for Durham East. "And I hear some people saying they're anticipating another who drilled down 600 feet and came up dry. Is suffering one of the worst droughts in ter supply. EL "It's the roots that are going to be key," Mr. Baxter said. The only way to combat the situation, he said, is to plant as early as possible, as soon as the landis dry enough. "I'd be planting corn in late April," he said. "I'd rather risk a frost at this point than risk' moisture loss. I'd be planting as early as possible." Cash crops could be the hard- est hitby drought, he said. If the dry weather continues, chances of getting off more than two fields of hay are slim. CR nts "Hay was one of the ones (crops) that was really affected last year," he said. The dry weather produced ex- cellent hay, what there was of it, but it reduced the number of 'cuts farmers could take. As a re- sult, hay prices jumped from ap- proximately $1.50 a square bale early last summer, to as high as $4 gocently. k : "If I had a few good hay fields, I'd be inclined to keep them as a good cash crop," he added. The price of feed is another reason farmers might be in- clined cut down on herds, rather than pay through the nose. "I wouldn't pay it," Ted Kirk said forcefully. "If it's more than $2 a bale, I might as well ship all my cattle off to the stockyards. And I raise purebreds. They're not designed to go to the stock- yards." Which is exactly what Mr. Baxter said might happen if the drought continues into the sum- mer--"You may see people get- ting rid of replacement stock. While another summer like last summer is guaranteed to play havoc with crops, farmers with shallow dug wells will have to contend with the likelihood of dry wells. "I haven't heard farmers pan- icking out loud (about their wells)," Mr. Baxter said, but he has heard rumblings. "It is cer- tainly a concern, certainly with shallow wells." Ted Kirk hasn't exactly pan- icked, but water problems on his 55 acres have reached a crisis Two years ago, he and his wife Cecile owned a horse farm near Ashburn, where there was plen- ty of water. But they were tired of the horse business and decid- ed to try their hand at beef cat- tle instead. Trouble was, the barn was designed for horses, so instead of undertaking major renovations, they bought prop- erty on Concession 6, Scugog, just northwest of Utica. * They had a new house and a big green cattle barn built and purchased stock to begin a herd ofblack Aberdeen Angus. Everything was fine for the Kirks, until last summer, when their well went dry. "All of a sudden the well dried up and that was it," he recalled. "It was almost a panic sort of thing. You don't realize how much you depend on water until it's gone. We took water for granted in Ashburn, but we don't now." Before the cold weather set in, Mr. Kirk hauled water from a creek on his property, back- John Deere 100 Series Lawn Tractors cut up to an acre an hour. Bag leaves, pull carts, push gravel. 9 to 17 hp. 2 Miles West of Manchester 14 ways to actually enjoy yard wor 8 John Deere tractors 6 John Deere riders ops so MODEL RX63 P1956. : "M1595 Price includes $100. JoHnorens Price includes $50. Deere Season Discount Deere Season Discount UTICA FARM EQUIPMENT Itd. 985-9701 A breaking but necessary labour. But when it froze, he started having Randy Dowson's water haulage company bring in a load of water at least once a * week--sometimes 'as often as every five days. Seven months , Mr. and Mrs. Kirk had decided enough was enough, and contacted a Sutton area contractor to drill them a new well. The man was so busy, he didn't arrive at Kirk- manor Farm until a month ago. The Utica couple could have waited even longer but because they're farmers, they were put on a priority list. Some home- owners wait up to a year for a drilled well. The Kirks were relieved to see the drilling Sqmpment on their property and figured their problems were over. The con- tractor told them, in all his years of business, he had only not found water once. "Every day I'd rush out to find out what was happening," Mr. Kirk said. And every day he was disap- pointed. "His (the contractor's) reac- tion was don't worry, we always hit water," Mr. Kirk recalled. Seven days later the drill hit bedrock at 600 feet. No water. The Kirks became the driller's second statistic. } "That was a real nerve: wracking experience," he said. } Desperate, the Kirks had two dug wells created three weeks ago. When they talked to the Star, the lines hadn't been placed yet, and they were in the process of getting a bulldozer to come in and rip up the frozen earth in order to get the lines placed. Meanwhile, the Kirks are still relying on Randy Dowson to bring water. And they've learned the hard way about con- servation. They're careful with laundry, they flush the toilets (Turn to page 17) The easy way to mow is now easier to afford with the new 6-hp RX63: Other models 9 or 12'/2 hp. Stop in today. EE SR Ea AEN TR SN SEP A a Ea RR ES RTs Be