The El Niño weather pattern is set to bring much needed rain to drought stricken parts of the US this winter, according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.
“From California to the southern Great Plains, the one third of the country that’s still in drought stands to get wetter than normal conditions during the cold season and that could mean some drought relief from California through to Texas,” Rippey said.
Speaking recently at the United Nations about 2015 being declared as the International Year of Soils, Robert Bonnie, under secretary of natural resources and environment highlighted the vital role healthy soils play in mitigating the impact of weather extremes.
“Healthy soils have a greater water and nutrient holding capacity. In drought this helps ensure food, fuel and fibre production continues,” he said. “In heavy rainfall, healthy soils help keep water and nutrients in the soil where they should be and avert flooding communities downstream.”
