• Journal Staff Report

Rain fell steadily throughout June, reaching a total of 11.17 inches, over twice the average for the month. That means loggers can't haul wood down muddy forest tracks to highways in order to supply mills waiting for logs.

That's because rutting is one of the points covered in the Better Management Practices (BMP) and Sustainable Forest Initiatives (SFI) Louisiana loggers follow. Those practices conserve the forest and prevent erosion. Driving in forests can damage delicate ecosystems by rutting and cause serious environmental backlash. On the other hand, log trucks can be damaged by attempting to pull loads in such inclement conditions.

While June is not the usual month for thunderstorms and heavy rains it happened this year. For central Louisiana, the average rainfall for June, July and August is usually only about 12.47 inches. Already June alone has seen almost 11 inches and it's still raining.

June rainfall, recorded by Estes Bozeman, official U.S. Weather Observer in Winnfield, totaled 11.17 inches, more than twice the monthly average.

Bozeman recorded the daily rainfall as follows:
June 1 . . . . . . . 1.28
June 2 . . . . . . . . .31
June 3 . . . . . . . 1.48
June 6 . . . . . . . trace
June 9 . . . . . . . . .61
June 12 . . . . . . . .02
June 14 . . . . . . 1.08
June 15 . . . . . . 1.38
June 16 . . . . . . . .07
June 17 . . . . . . . .29
June 18 . . . . . . .trace
June 20 . . . . . . . .98
June 21 . . . . . . . .01
June 22 . . . . . . . .41
June 23 . . . . . . . .40
June 24 . . . . . . . .69
June 25 . . . . . . . .52
June 26 . . . . . . . trace
June 27 . . . . . . . .05
June 28 . . . . . . .1.29
June 29 . . . . . . . .30

June saw only eight days without recordable rainfall. That's bad in itself.

"If we just had a couple of days of heavy rain, suppliers (wood haulers) could get back out to work," said Mike Entz, General Manager of Smurfit-Stone Paper mill in Hodge, Louisiana. "But when it rains too many days, that makes it more difficult for suppliers."

Entz says that the paper mill inventories are extremely low in both round wood and chips. If things don't change soon, the conditions could affect the ability of the mill to continue to run at full production level.

"We have some contingency plans in place," Entz went on. "But if we get much more rain, we'll be facing curtailing some machines."

Weyerhaeuser officials say that the heavy - unexpected - June rainfall has had a big impact on operations in Louisiana. Even as Monday, June 28 saw sunny conditions, officials said: "It's still a difficult time for us."

In some places, Weyerhaeuser reports wood supplies are as low as 1/2 day supply.

"But we've experienced no downtime at any facility as of June 28," said Jackie Walburn, Weyerhaeuser spokesperson.

Another problem, according to Weyerhaeuser officials, is the rising cost of production. In order to keep supplies of wood on the ground at ten facilities, loggers have been forced to drive to more distant wood lots where they can get into the woods and get out without damaging the forest.

"Loggers are driving further because of the critical need for wood," Ms. Walburn said.

West Fraser (South) is experiencing the same problems other as companies.

"Right now we're in fair shape," said Ken Jordan, Procurement forester for the West Fraser Joyce, Louisiana sawmill. "We have seen a lot of loggers unable to work much though."

He agreed that the frequency of the rain caused the most problems.

"We check the ground for the conditions on each job," Jordan said. "If logging would cause damage, we just don't go out."

Jimmy Hughes, Zwolle Area Manager for Boise Cascade called the situation similar to winter conditions where loggers can't get out because of the wet weather.

While Hughes said it has definitely slowed down suppliers getting wood into the mills, he said Boise Cascade's inventory was not bad.

"We have it better than most," Hughes said.\par }{\plain Mud in the woods doesn't only slow down contract loggers, it pinches the pockets of parts stores, suppliers, tire sales and others as well as the mills who are served by loggers.

"It definitely makes a difference," said Faye Wainwright owner of the NAPA Store in Jonesboro where many loggers buy parts for their trucks. "I feel sorry for the loggers, but when it rains them out the slowdown trickles back as far as the grocery stores. We all feel it."

Another parts store agreed with Wainwright.

"The majority of our business is selling parts to loggers," said Allen Hight of Farr Auto in Winnfield, Louisiana. "We've seen our business slow down for the last two weeks. Loggers are not buying parts when they can't log."

Everybody looks for better weather in the near future.

"It can't keep raining like this," said Ken Jordan. "After all, it's nearly July."

In other reaction to the heavy rains this season, officials of the Kisatchie National Forest ordered extended closure of the forest areas and trails to off-road motorized vehicles "until conditions improve."

Closure affected ass ranger districts in Rapides, Vernon, Grant, Winn, Natchitoches, Claiborne and Webster parishes.

June rainfall averages a fraction over 5 inches, Weather Observer Bozeman said. And while the 2004 total of 11.17 inches is a little over twice the monthly average, it is no record. That occurred in 1989, when the Winnfield station measured a whopping 30.22 inches, causing flooding around the region. Total rainfall for that year went to 84 inches, not quite 20 percent above the average year.

Total rainfall at the Winnfield station was measured at 41.49 inches year to date, equal to 60 percent of the annual average for the first half of the year Bozeman said. By month, the totals are:

January . . . . . . . . . 6.46
February . . . . . . . 10.17
March . . . . . . . . . . 1.95
April . . . . . . . . . . . .2.91
May . . . . . . . . . . . .8.83
June . . . . . . . . . . . 11.17

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