Algona, IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — The ISU Extension Agronomists for Northwest Iowa have pulled their fall soil samples to get a handle on the moisture level. Gentry Sorenson says they’re below average but vary in comparison to last year’s findings.

This fall the soil moisture level in Calumet measures 7.88 inches compared to 8.11 last year. Rossie and Estherville are more than two inches lower: 7.03 inches in Rossie compared to 9.1 and 3.28 inches in Estherville down from 5.7.

There are 4.17 inches of moisture in the topsoil in Rolfe compared to 5.88. Newell is 5.81, up from 4.28 last year; Sibley is 6.6 up slightly from 6.31; and Sanborn is over an inch higher at 8.1 up from 6.75 one year ago.

The samples are taken from the same locations in the spring and fall for consistency.