K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory (EASAL) produces weekly Vegetation Condition Report maps. These maps can be a valuable tool for making crop selection and marketing decisions.
The objective of these reports is to provide users with a means of assessing the relative condition of crops and grassland. The maps can be used to assess current plant growth rates, as well as comparisons to the previous year and relative to the 26-year average. The report is used by individual farmers and ranchers, the commodities market, and political leaders for assessing factors such as production potential and drought impact across their state.
NOTE TO READERS: The maps below represent a subset of the maps available from the EASAL group. If you’d like digital copies of the entire map series please contact Nan An at nanan@ksu.edu and we can place you on our email list to receive the entire dataset each week as they are produced. The maps are normally first available on Wednesday of each week, unless there is a delay in the posting of the data by EROS Data Center where we obtain the raw data used to make the maps. These maps are provided for free as a service of the Department of Agronomy and K-State Research and Extension.
The maps in this issue of the newsletter show the current state of photosynthetic activity in Kansas, the Corn Belt, and the continental U.S., with comments from Mary Knapp, service climatologist:
Figure 1. The Vegetation Condition Report for Kansas for January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that snow was mostly confined to the western portions of the state. This coverage was also light in nature with very little water content.
Figure 2. Compared to the previous year at this time for Kansas, the current Vegetation Condition Report for January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that there are slightly higher NDVI values in south central Kansas, particularly in Harper and Sumner counties. East central and northeast Kansas show lower NDVI readings this year.
Figure 3. Compared to the 26-year average at this time for Kansas, this year’s Vegetation Condition Report for January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that most of the state is very close to average in NDVI readings. Harper and Sumner counties show the greatest increase in NDVI readings over the long-term average.
Figure 4. The Vegetation Condition Report for the Corn Belt for January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that eastern Kansas and western Missouri missed out on the snow. Coverage in this period was relatively light. Parts of North Dakota have yet to have a 1-inch storm, and seasonal totals are well below average.
Figure 5. The comparison to last year in the Corn Belt for the period January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows a distinct splice line in Ohio. This is due to persistent clouds during the period. Aside from that there is a band of generally higher NDVI readings from North Dakota through eastern Iowa and into Indiana. Lower-than-average snow cover contributes to that pattern.
Figure 6. Compared to the 26-year average at this time for the Corn Belt, this year’s Vegetation Condition Report for January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that there is a large area of greater-than-average NDVI readings through the central portion of the region. This is most notable from the Dakotas to Iowa. Increased photosynthetic activity at this time increases the drought stress and risk of freeze damage in these areas.
Figure 7. The Vegetation Condition Report for the U.S. for January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that snow was again a feature into the Panhandle of Texas. However, snow has been confined to the east side of the Sierras. This has increased drought concerns in the West from Washington state to southern California.
Figure 8. The U.S. comparison to last year at this time for the period January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that there is a distinct border between the higher NDVI readings in North Dakota and the lower values in South Dakota and Nebraska. Much of this difference is due to the difference in snow cover between the two regions. Areas with lower snow cover this year have higher NDVI values. The sharp boundaries in Ohio and Pennsylvania are an artifact of the splice procedures and are due to persistent cloud cover.
Figure 9. The U.S. comparison to the 26-year average for the period January 13 – 26 from K-State’s Ecology and Agriculture Spatial Analysis Laboratory shows that the Pacific Northwest continues to have much higher-than-average photosynthetic activity. Low snow pack totals continue to create problems in the region. In the Pacific Northwest snow cover is just 24 percent of the area, with an average snow depth of just 8 inches. For contrast in 2006, which was a fairly good year, the coverage was 50 percent of the area with an average depth of 22 inches.
