BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – While the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows most of Branch County remains in a moderate drought, conditions are getting worse in parts of southwest Michigan.
Kent, Ionia, Barry, Allegan, Van Buren and Ottawa Counties are now included in an area which is considered to be in a severe drought.
When a severe drought hits, corn and soybean yields are low, mature trees are stressed and streamflow is extremely low and potentially too low to irrigate.
Most of the Lower Peninsula is in a moderate drought while counties to the south of the Mackinaw Bridge are considered abnormally dry.
Only 66-hundredths of an inch of rain has been measured so far in May at the M.S.U. Extension Service weather station at the Bloom Dairy Far, This follows 1.55 inches of rain in April and just under two inches in March.
(Map courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor)
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