Disheartening

[ksgobbler]

Water has receded enough I can finally get to most of the trees. There are still 30ish that I cant get to. I am sure they are toast. Mortality is going to be close to 95 percent. I have 3 pin oaks, 4 deer pear, 1 shuwater hybrid, 8 persimmons, and 4 sawtooths that made it. None of my shumards, bur, swamp white, swamp chesnut, paw paws, buttonbush, etc made it. My best bur would have been able to make it in another year. Set me back years, but I know folks in town lost houses so its all in perspective.

 

[yoderjac]

I don't know how much land you have and the character of the rest of it, but you may want to consider your approach. I was on vacation in South Dakota last week. As we drove around through the eastern part of the state, I noticed something interesting. Mature trees in standing water that had died many years ago. They were large enough that they must have been planted long ago. This was not in one place but a very common site. My guess is that over the years, the water table has changed in such a way that trees were close enough to water ways to benefit from the water are in standing water in at least the last 10 years and could not handle it.

I would probably be tempted to avoid the long-term investment of trees in areas like this. If you have higher ground, I would probably use that for trees. I'd be tempted to use areas like those in the picture for throw and grow annuals or perennials.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Gravel Road]

All that work and money down the drain really stinks. Hopefully we won't have another spring like that for a while!

 

[rocksnstumps]

I don't know how much land you have and the character of the rest of it, but you may want to consider your approach. I was on vacation in South Dakota last week. As we drove around through the eastern part of the state, I noticed something interesting. Mature trees in standing water that had died many years ago. They were large enough that they must have been planted long ago. This was not in one place but a very common site. My guess is that over the years, the water table has changed in such a way that trees were close enough to water ways to benefit from the water are in standing water in at least the last 10 years and could not handle it.

I would probably be tempted to avoid the long-term investment of trees in areas like this. If you have higher ground, I would probably use that for trees. I'd be tempted to use areas like those in the picture for throw and grow annuals or perennials.

Thanks,

Jack

Interesting observation Jack, happening in other parts of SD too. Check out the history of the Waubay Chain of Lakes, still growing and flooding out areas that were farmed for over 100 yrs.

 

[Catscratch]

Sorry to hear that you've lost so many of your trees. It was a very unusual spring and early summer... but that doesn't really make a guy feel any better or give back the time invested. If you're interested I can give you as many Bur, Sawtooth, native Chinkapin, and DCO nuts as you want. I throw away a dozen or two Sawtooth seedlings every spring that you could have.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[ksgobbler]

I don't know how much land you have and the character of the rest of it, but you may want to consider your approach. I was on vacation in South Dakota last week. As we drove around through the eastern part of the state, I noticed something interesting. Mature trees in standing water that had died many years ago. They were large enough that they must have been planted long ago. This was not in one place but a very common site. My guess is that over the years, the water table has changed in such a way that trees were close enough to water ways to benefit from the water are in standing water in at least the last 10 years and could not handle it.

I would probably be tempted to avoid the long-term investment of trees in areas like this. If you have higher ground, I would probably use that for trees. I'd be tempted to use areas like those in the picture for throw and grow annuals or perennials.

Thanks,

Jack

Most of my problem is the local COE lake. It hit it highest level ever recorded and with all the flooding they held water longer than ever before. Ive had water come up previously but it usually doesnt stick around long. Ive got mature timber that has started to die. Dont know what to do but 1/3 of my property can get water like this when all the stars align.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have some 5 ft burs and sawtooths you can come dig next fall and move,I'm south of wichita

 

[yoderjac]

Most of my problem is the local COE lake. It hit it highest level ever recorded and with all the flooding they held water longer than ever before. Ive had water come up previously but it usually doesnt stick around long. Ive got mature timber that has started to die. Dont know what to do but 1/3 of my property can get water like this when all the stars align.

That was sort of my point. Trees are a very long-term investment. If recent conditions suggest mature timber is starting to die, I would be reluctant to use that third of your property for trees. You could have great success with them and just about the time they are ready to produce, get a couple consecutive years of high water and lose the entire investment.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Interesting observation Jack, happening in other parts of SD too. Check out the history of the Waubay Chain of Lakes, still growing and flooding out areas that were farmed for over 100 yrs.

That is exactly where I was. I stayed on Pickerel Lake about 10 minutes for Waubay Lake. We drove from Sioux Falls to Mitchel to Huron to Pickerel Lake and then back to Sioux Falls. I was amazed at how much of that I saw.

 

[SwampCat]

Most of my problem is the local COE lake. It hit it highest level ever recorded and with all the flooding they held water longer than ever before. Ive had water come up previously but it usually doesnt stick around long. Ive got mature timber that has started to die. Dont know what to do but 1/3 of my property can get water like this when all the stars align.

I am in exactly the same boat as you. I have land in COE flowage easment. I lost 23 acres of three year old loblolly pines to the highest flood of record in the 51 year history of the project in 2015. I also lost that same 23 acres with six month old loblolly pines to drought in 2011. Planted again in 2012 and drought got them again that summer. I thought third time would be a charm - it wasnt. I dont plant that area any more. Ash, persimmon, and pignut hickory are now taking it over.

 

[ksgobbler]

I am in exactly the same boat as you. I have land in COE flowage easment. I lost 23 acres of three year old loblolly pines to the highest flood of record in the 51 year history of the project in 2015. I also lost that same 23 acres with six month old loblolly pines to drought in 2011. Planted again in 2012 and drought got them again that summer. I thought third time would be a charm - it wasnt. I dont plant that area any more. Ash, persimmon, and pignut hickory are now taking it over.

If I let it go it will be hedge, ash, locust, and pecan. If I remove undeairable trees it will be sericea lespedeza. Kinda of a no win deal. Judging by other timber I drive by the bur oaks have been doing well with the submersion.

 

[SwampCat]

When we had that flood in 2015, trees stayed inundated from May to July. That flood probably killed at least half the mature oak trees in the bottoms - mostly water, willow, shumard, and white oak. It took five years for them all to die. Over-cup was the only one to escape unharmed. There is a giant bur oak on COE right by my land. It also did fine. It is the only one I know of in the bottoms.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Any chance some sort of levee would be a long term option?

 

[ksgobbler]

Any chance some sort of levee would be a long term option?

Negative

 

[ksgobbler]

I am going to go with more flood tolerant species if I end up replanting. Persimmon, bottomland oak varieties, sycamore for turkey roosting, etc.
https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2019/06/flooding-causes-concern-for-trees.html

 

[yoderjac]

I am going to go with more flood tolerant species if I end up replanting. Persimmon, bottomland oak varieties, sycamore for turkey roosting, etc.
https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2019/06/flooding-causes-concern-for-trees.html

How deep does the water get when it floods?

 

[ksgobbler]

How deep does the water get when it floods?

Along the creek 10 feet. Other nearby upland areas dont flood in most events but this one was historic so they had 1-4' on them.

We got a year's worth of rain in less than 3 months. Bad stuff was gonna happen.

 

[yoderjac]

I would not plant any trees in an area that floods 10'. In areas that flood 1' - 4' rarely, I'd consider mound planting of flood tolerant species. Choose the spots that only flooded a foot or so. Create small mounds and plant them on the mounds. Some vegetable farms create raised beds so they can irrigate in the low spots of necessary. Depending on the equipment you have available, you might create a raised bed or simply individual mounds for each tree. This won't work in areas that are flooded deeply or on a regular basis, but it will help in marginal areas that are flooded occasionally.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Baker]

Flooding can be tough stuff to live with. We have annual flooding that is only getting worse.

In flood prone area we plant nuttal oaks. They can handle flooding plus start bearing at a relatively young age.

Another thing that works here is May Haw.Great for al sorts of wildlife including deer and makes a fantastic jelly as well. I've see flood water 10'+ over the top of them for over a month with no problems at all.

 

[j-bird]

Historic levels of flooding are the ones that kick you in the pants. Stuff you see year in year out....you can plan around to some extent. And stuff that floods and recedes quickly isn't as bad either (I have some bottom ground that does that - and I do ok with tree survival). Like was mentioned you could have lost a whole lot more than just some trees. Yes is sucks having that work ruined....but like was mentioned....other lost much much more. Try to see the brighter side...dwelling on the negative seldom helps.