Slough margins

[Hopalong]

Have large areas that did not grow much but cat tails and foxtail barley last number of years as result of record wet. Resolved to keep working in as sloughs go down and water table drops. See some places, especially rented land, where willows and poplars are coming back, maybe just what environmentalists and nature lovers want but not this farmer.

[Oliver88]

It would be good to gain land back from the beavers, willows, cattails, etc.

There could be potential to gain acres this summer and get back to pre-2005 levels.

[farmaholic]

Our land is such that I doubt we would lose much more than 5% from year to year. 2012 would have probably been an exemption.

[Partners]

Keep the cat tails down.
Crop insurance pays for summer fallow that is to wet to seed..not many dollars though..

[GDR]

You guys know your land history so go with what you know it may be different than what I see here but my take is this. The marginal land that on a wet year is too wet but on a dry year is ok, I seed to grass, bit of a pain haying a few acres here and there but can make some good returns without much cost. The most expensive land to farm is that borderline wet stuff, either you cant seed it but still gotta maintain it or worse yet you seed it then turns wet and lose all your inputs and still have to maintain it. Odd year you get a good crop bi5t is it worth the other years?

[fjlip]

It's not just the cat tail wet areas but water filled low spots causes salinity around the cat tails. That grows SFA for years till we drained/landscaped those and salt eventually went down below root zone with rains.

[sumdumguy]

It's not just the cat tail wet areas but water filled low spots causes salinity around the cat tails. That grows SFA for years till we drained/landscaped those and salt eventually went down below root zone with rains.

We were driving to Winkler last month and saw quarters being tiled. Suspect due to salinity issues.

[WiltonRanch]

Pothole sloughs are a fact of life here. Have lots of topography which really benefits and hinders dealing with excess water. Farm around lots of obstacles but it’s the fact of keeping these from getting bigger. Without a good drainage plan you’re wasting your time. We clean up the expansion of bush but beyond that we leave it be. Salinity doesn’t seem to be a big problem because of soil type and topography. Besides if you have cows you appreciate standing water.

[MBgrower]

We were driving to Winkler last month and saw quarters being tiled. Suspect due to salinity issues.

not salinity issues, that land sells for $8-10K/acre. Once land becomes that valuable it gets tiled to further improve its productivity. you see the same in s. on and usa Midwest.