It is the one-word email his clients probably don’t want at the weekend.
DROUGHT, it said. In capitals, just to make a point.
Donald Martin of GrassCo called it early, saying Southland’s soil conditions were already showing signs of drought.
And, on Tuesday an email he sent said it ‘’was starting to bite”.
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“It’s definitely coastal, in the south-west corner and from Colac Bay to Balclutha they’re getting a lot of pain – but it’s district-wide really,” he said.
“It’s not like a Northland drought, it’s still green, but green is just a colour. Southland’s summer is still to come.”
Growth had all but stopped and there was little moisture in the soil.
“Demand is now outstripping growth. If a dairy cow eats X amount of grass a day, and you’re not growing that, then that’s the problem.
“The easy way to look at it is to consider how many times you’ve mowed your lawn lately. It’s not growing.’’
FENZ
Fire and Emergency NZ says coastal Southland and all the Department of Conservation estate, including Stewart Island, is in a Prohibited Fire Season, meaning open fires are banned.
On Wednesday, Fire and Emergency NZ advised coastal Southland and all the Department of Conservation estate, including Stewart Island, had moved into a Prohibited Fire Season, meaning open fires were banned.
There was also a total fire ban in the township of Edendale and at Sandy Point at Otatara because of extreme fire danger.
Fire and Emergency district manager Julian Tohiariki said the indicators used for assessing fire danger had reached the threshold where a total ban on outdoor fires was required in these areas.
“These restrictions reflect the extended dry weather and hot temperatures that we have been experiencing,” he said.
Kavinda Herath / Stuff
Agronomist Donald Martin from GrassCo says Southland is already in a drought based on his data
“There is no significant rain forecast and the long-term outlook is for more of the same.”
NIWA analytical meteorologist and forecaster Tristan Meyers said soil moisture was well below normal, and rainfall over the past month had been scarce.
“Tiwai Point near Bluff has only recorded 1mm this year; that’s the driest start to a year recorded since records began in 1975.
“And that’s on top of several consecutive dry months; Tiwai Point hasn’t seen a month of above-normal rainfall since last autumn.’’
Parts of Invercargill had only recorded 12mm this month, which was the driest start to the year since 1998, he said.
“On top of this, it’s been unusually warm in Southland – maximum temperatures in some areas have been over one degree warmer than average this month, and Manapouri hit a daytime maximum of over 30 degrees earlier this month.’’
GrassCo
Grass is not growing in coastal Southland as the hot, dry weather continues. This photo was taken at Tiwai Point, which has only received 1mm of rain in January.
The New Zealand Drought Index (a measure of meteorological drought) is shading Southland in yellow and orange colours, indicating that it is “dry” or “very dry”.
“There is also little in the way of substantial rainfall on the way for this area.
“Wwhile rain is likely tomorrow [Friday] and again next week, longer-term outlooks show that the dry signal for Southland will continue, although there is a chance for unsettled, wet weather near the beginning of February for parts of the South Island,’’ he said.
Meyers said he was speaking in terms of a meteorological drought, and in terms of the classification of an adverse event (i.e. when there was “drought”), there is both a climate component and an impact component.
Kavinda Herath/Stuff
Southland Federated Farmers president Chris Dillon says farmers are better prepared for the dry spell because they have supplementary feed.
Southland Federated Farmers president Chris Dillon said the organisation had been in discussions with Government agencies abut the conditions and they were aware of what was going on.
“It’s happened [got dry] quite quickly and it’s right across the province, not just the northern and eastern areas.’’
Farmers were better prepared for the dry spell because a good spring had allowed them to make more supplementary feed.
“It’s what happens tomorrow [Friday] and early next week in terms of rain – that will make it or break it,’’ he said.
Environment Southland had moved to Status 2 of its water storage response levels, where the region’s water levels would be actively monitored.
ES integrated catchment management general manager Paul Hulse said current river conditions and the climate outlook indicated a water shortage could occur over the summer-autumn period.
A sprinkler ban was in place for all of Southland district, and level three water restrictions were in place in Mataura.
Both the Gore and Southland district councils were urging residents to conserve water.
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