In water 20 to 25 feet deep just off the Thimble Islands, Mr. Smith has set up two, 150-foot lines of rope that are submerged about three feet below the water's surface and held into place by chains and 400-pound anchors.
In Rolette, in north-central North Dakota, the recent monsoon-like rain submerged some farmers' crops and spread fungus among those that stayed above the surface.