"We're in excellent shape right now," Kocher said. "A lot of water is still pouring in there. I'm curious to see if we are going to reach 100 percent on all of them. This is the time to fill your pool, if you're lucky enough to have one."
The heavy rains since late last week have been a mixed blessing.
Record rainfall
More than 6 inches fell at BWI from Thursday to Monday night. The deluges set daily rainfall records Friday, Sunday and Monday, and pushed the May total to 6.17 inches, 4.73 inches more than the average for BWI through May 12.
Even more rain - more than 7 inches in some parts of Calvert County - fell across Southern Maryland. For some, it was too much of a good thing, causing street flooding, stranded cars, wet basements and leaky roofs. For farmers, Hance said, any kind of weather brings its problems.
"It's definitely too wet to get into the fields to do anything," he said. "But Southern Maryland has been dry as long or longer than anybody else in Maryland. Farmers were very concerned about going into another growing season with a deficit in soil moisture. This recent rain will help to recharge the water tables, build up soil moisture and help you feel a little better."
The corn crop has been planted in Southern Maryland, he said. Soybean planting has begun, but further work might have to wait until the fields dry.
Hay fields are still too wet for cutting. Some winter wheat and barley fields sustained significant "lodging" during the storms, Hance said, referring to rain and wind that knock the plants down. "Some of that will recover; some of it won't."
On vegetable farms, strawberries could suffer from fungal diseases and insect attack if they stay too wet. And delayed planting could make it more difficult for growers to time their harvests to provide a steady supply to roadside stands through the summer.
But "those issues can get worked out," Hance said. "At this point, it's not a major long-term impact unless we continue in a wet spell for an extended period."
More rain is forecast for tomorrow and Friday.
frank.roylance@baltsun.com
Maryland Rainfall
Month Rainfall (in.) Difference from monthly average
May '08 6.17 +4.73
April '08 4.62 +1.62
March '08 2.37 -1.56
Feb. '08 3.80 +0.78
Jan. '08 1.47 -2.00
Dec. '07 4.03 +.0.68
Nov. '07 1.52 -1.60
Oct. '07 5.85 +2.69
Sept. '07 0.35 -3.63
Aug. '07 3.08 -0.66
July '07 3.31 -0.54
June '07 2.20 -1.23
May '07 0.94 -2.95
April '07 5.00 +1.53
Source: National Weather Service
