The Fayette Citizen-News Page

Wednesday, May 28, 2003

Drought drowned as spring sprouts leaks

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

So this is spring.

After weeks of rain, Fayette County was treated to a spectacular Memorial Day weekend: Bright sunshine, cool breezes, low humidity, blue skies.

And not a drop of rain to be found.

On Friday evening, camera-toting relatives and friends filled the football stadiums at the county's four high schools as diplomas were awarded to nearly 1,500 graduates against breathtaking sunsets.

The fields were soggy, but compared to years past there was very little sweating among the masses. In fact, after the sun went down on ceremonies at McIntosh and Fayette County high schools, it felt almost like football weather.

And so the weekend would go, pleasant days easing into cool nights, perfect for barbecues and parades, ballgames and catching up on neglected yardwork.

Consider it a reward for enduring the second wettest May on record in Atlanta. In a normal year, the region gets just 4.39 inches of rain in May.

Through Thursday, the National Weather Service had recorded 9.72 inches, just shy of the all-time record of 9.89 inches from 1923.

On the road to setting a rainfall record, Mother Nature beat a drought that was years in the making, and then some. Atlanta now has a rainfall surplus for the year of 3.83 inches.

And in some respects, that's just as frustrating as a drought, said Sheldon Hammond of the Fayette County Extension Service.

Hammond said it will be weeks and months, maybe even years, before we stop seeing the full effects of this spring's rains.

Just as the long-term effects of drought sometimes take years to show up, especially in trees, too much rain can do the same, especially among Georgia's hardwoods.

"Trees are different than other plants because they have a lag time of one to two years until you start seeing results of a stress," he said. "So even though we're getting plenty of water, the trees are still drinking like two or three years ago."

Stressed by a three-year dry period that started around 1999, many trees have toppled this spring, their weakened roots unable to hold in sandy, wet soil.

But many more are sucking up the water and storing it away, and next spring trees will really benefit with larger than usual trunk and limb growth, and fuller, healthier leaves, Hammond said.

If your grass is turning brown and the annuals look droopy, blame it on the rain. The current water table is just below the surface, Hammond explained, and so any rain that falls immediately pools on the ground and then tries to run off, often collecting in low areas that may never have been a soggy mess before now.

The result: Plants are drowning.

"We're seeing signs that look just like wilting in a drought," Hammond said. "I've probably had 30 calls on birch trees alone, but it really affects everything. Any area that is poorly drained, the plants are going to suffer."

He suggested homeowners make note of standing water and take measures to prevent it in the future, since mosquitos love the stuff.

The heavy rains haven't had a huge impact on business in Fayette County, sources say.

Mike Satterfield, facilities services director for Fayette schools, said work at Whitewater High School on Ga. Highway 85 South is on schedule, despite the weather. Workers get around the huge site on all-terrain vehicles. The campus is set to open in 2004.

Throughout the county, there have been few incidents of roads or bridges being damaged by the rain. Other than a few fallen trees, damage has been minor in Peachtree City, said information specialist Betsy Tyler.

On May 7, a storm believed to be packing a tornado did significant damage in neighboring Coweta County, but passed right over Fayette without nary a scratch.

And though we may not be out of the woods, forecasters suggest we can finally start enjoying the season.

The forecast for the next 10 days calls for still more comfortable days, with temperatures reaching the low 80s by the weekend. The only significant chance of rain through the week is Saturday, and then it's only 30 percent.

Does this mean we're headed back the other direction already? Quite possible, said Hammond.

"If you look at Georgia's weather, we don't have normal weather," he said. "If you go back 100 years, you will see peaks and valleys, periods of drought and then periods of wet. You don't really see this cyclical pattern anywhere else in the country."

DRYING OUT

Still sneezing? Don't assume rainy weather means pollen is no longer an issue. Hammond said plants like dry weather to release their pollen, and when the air gets moist they close up, extending the pollen season. "The more rain we get, the longer it takes to get over."

Mow, mow, mow: The big thing about cutting wet, overgrown grass is clogging the mower and rutting the yard, Hammond said. The grass itself, unless very young, won't be hurt. "It just sticks to everything," he said.

Puddle hopping: That new pond out back that wasn't there six months ago may be something to look at, but it poses serious health hazards as a breeding ground for mosquitos. "Do what you can to get rid of all standing water," Hammond said.

How will your garden grow?: Pretty well, even if gardeners are late getting their seedlings and crops in the ground. Because of Georgia's long growing season and hot, steamy summers, there's still time to plant. "Your yield will be down, and you might not eat those tomatoes until August, but you can plant late."