CAPTION: The most recent drought conditions map on the Kansas Water Office, published on May 22, 2025. CREDIT KANSAS WATER OFFICE
By Michael Glenn
While the past couple of weeks may have felt unusually cool and wet for Hutchinson and Reno County, total amounts of rainfall are actually still behind for this spring season.
Patrick Bergkamp, agriculture and natural resource agent for Reno County’s K-State Research and Extension Office, said a weather station 10 miles south of Hutchinson has collected 3.5 inches of rainfall over the past week.
“While it does seem like a large amount of rain, it’s actually fairly normal for this time of year,” Bergkamp said. “We’re actually still a little behind for spring moisture behind what would be considered normal.”
For south central Kansas, May and early June are considered the wettest months of the year. While severe weather may be harmful to the wheat crop, the recent rain makes for a better overall yield.
“For the wheat, this is fantastic,” Bergkamp said. “This, combined with the cool weather we have, is making for great grain fill conditions. It will lead to a little higher yield but also a good test rate. Heavy rain or wind can lead to the wheat falling down, but overall, it’s been very well for the wheat crop.”
Summer crops, such as corn, soybeans, milo and sorghum, will also benefit from the rain but not as impactfully as the wheat.
“It’s less important now,” Bergkamp said, referring to the summer crops. “Staying wet is good, but recharging the soil moisture down a foot or two will set the summer crops into June or early July with that moisture.”
Bergkamp noted that as of now, there hasn’t been an abnormal amount of runoff going into streams and rivers from the rain. Most of what is falling down is being absorbed by the ground because of the persistent moderate drought affecting this part of the state over the past couple years.
“We’re starting to get streams running at a normal level, but we’re not really catching up from the past couple years of drought,” Bergkamp said.
Reno County formally remains under a drought emergency, declared by Governor Laura Kelly on May 12. However, current data from the Kansas Water Office shows Reno County downgraded to a D1, or moderate drought, in nature. A new report will be released Thursday, May 29.
“I would think we’re probably in some degree of drought or dryness,” Bergkamp said.
