Ames, IA (KICD) — Iowa State University is out with it’s official spring moisture level report. Samples are collected at the same sites each fall and spring, the soil is baked in an oven, and official readings are recorded.

Every site in the KICD Broadcast area showed improvement from autumn, but Agronomist Gentry Sorenson says they are still below historic levels except Clay County. He says he took samples twice from Rossie, with an official reaching of 9.79 inches, 2.29 inches about normal.

Sorenson says the holes filled with water, and surplus water could be observed in nearby ditches. He says the reason crops didn’t grow in that area last year might be because the roots failed to grow deep enough.

Other official levels are:
Sibley: 6.22 inches, .98 below normal.
Eshterville at 5.5, 2.4 inches below normal.
Sutherland at 5.31, 2.09 below
Sanborn 5.17, a two point 23 inch deficit
and Spirit Lake has a soil moisture level of 4.54 inches, 3.25 below the historic average.