Rainfall doing wonders for rangelands

All the rain we've been getting in Northern California is really helping boost the quality of rangelands. For one thing, it's deepened soil moisture and replenished aquifers so the ground should have at least enough water to get through the winter, said Josh Davy, livestock advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension in Red Bluff. The cold temperatures we've been seeing will slow top growth, he said.

"We'll still get some root development, which is a good thing," he said.

This past weekend's deluge in the north state merely added to what have been some impressive seasonal rainfall totals. Redding recorded 1.17 inches of rain over the weekend, bringing this month's total to 4.29 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The average for December here is 3.03 inches. Since July 1, Redding has received 13.41 inches of rainfall, well above the 10.52 inches normally registered by this time of year.

In Red Bluff, 0.68 inches of rain fell on Saturday and Sunday, bringing this month's total to 3.45 inches, according to the weather service.

For the complete picture, check CapitalPress.com late tomorrow morning.