Pee Dee flooding puts damper on farmers' plans

FLORENCE -- Excessive amounts of rainfall in the Pee Dee and Grand Strand recently have caused many rivers to crest at or near flood stage. It's not clear yet what impact that will have for area farmers.

As of Tuesday evening, a flood warning remained in effect for the Little Pee Dee River at Galivants Ferry, though many other bodies of water, including the Great Pee Dee River, spilled over their banks, as well.

Along the Great Pee Dee River near the Darlington-Marlboro county line, water spilled over the banks several hundred yards into surrounding swamp and farm land.

Research agronomist Dr. Jim Frederick said the unusually high amounts of rainfall and the recent ice storm collectively put a damper on many farmer’s plans.

“Essentially this makes everything too soggy,” he said. “You can’t run the tractors in the field, if you do so, you’ll probably get bogged down. It takes several days to up to a week to dry out, after a rainfall like this, for the farmers to get their equipment in the fields and to get ready to start planting their crops.”

In many portions of the Pee Dee, flood waters rose high enough to flood boat landings and side roads near the river banks.

Experts said the flood waters were only supposed to have a minimal effect on residential areas near major bodies of water and expected the water levels to fall below flood stage this week.

Though the flood waters may prove hazardous now, many agriculture experts said they may actually benefit farmers in the upcoming growing season.

“The rain has kind of put a damper on any production going on on the farm right now, but it’s kind of a blessing in disguise,” said Steve Squires, a tobacco farmer from Hemingway. “It will hopefully build up the water table for this upcoming hot summer, so maybe it ends up being a good thing.”

Squires said a buildup of the water table underground would ensure that plants have substantial moisture to make it through the warmer months.

Frederick agreed that the large amounts of rain may help farmers in the long run.

“Usually rain is a good thing. We’re always limited in rain, especially in the summertime,” he said, “so it would be nice if we could keep some of this rain until spring or summer and use it at those times when it gets hot and dry.”

While some farmers said they don’t quite know what to wish for in terms of weather, most agree that when it comes to the effects it has on farming, the end result may be out of their control.

“Weather plays in 100 percent of my livelihood. It’s all up to what the lord blesses us with,” Squires said. “Whether we get sunshine or rain or whatever he delivers, is 100 percent of the quality of crop we’re going to have.”

Agriculture experts said they expect that even though it may take only a short amount of time for the rivers to subside, it may take a lot longer for the soil to dry and all of the water to evaporate.