Spring and summer drainage and water management for grain crops

By Vinayak Shedekar, The Ohio State University

As I write this article on the last day of March 2025, about 3 to 4 inches of precipitation is expected across the state of Ohio by April 7. The 30-year normal monthly precipitation for April is about 4 inches. This means, you may have received an entire month’s worth of rain in just one week! The National Weather Service (NWS) recently issued the 2025 U.S. Spring Outlook, covering precipitation, temperature, flooding, and droughts. You can find more details on the Climate Prediction Center website.  For conditions specific to Ohio, a monthly climate summary is published online by the state climate office of Ohio.

Coming out of the recent drought conditions from 2024, the above-average April precipitation may have helped replenish the soil moisture in northwest and southeast Ohio. Most soils in Northwest Ohio are now oversaturated, leading to significant amounts of subsurface drainage discharge.… Continue reading