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Water Survey

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  • Drying, warming soils across Illinois

    Sep 14, 2018 2:45 pm

    Soils are drying out after the early September rain, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • September in Illinois had above-normal temperatures and rainfall

    Oct 1, 2018 3:45 pm

    The Illinois statewide average temperature for September was 70.0 degrees, 3.8 degrees above normal and the 12th warmest September on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois. 

  • Report describes water resources available in Middle Illinois River region

    Oct 10, 2018 11:30 am

    A report on the water resources available in the Middle Illinois River water supply planning region is now available (ISWS Contract Report 2018-02). The results of the study are generally positive for the region, with abundant water available for most needs.

  • Soils cool across Illinois

    Oct 16, 2018 4:30 pm

    Cooler weather has caused soil temperatures to decrease across the state, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinoisans experienced bone-chilling weather changes in October

    Nov 2, 2018 11:30 am

    The Illinois weather in October 2018 dished up a mixed bag of conditions with temperatures in the 90s, the first fall frost, the first snow of the season, and widespread heavy rains, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey.

  • drilling equipment in field

    ISGS, ISWS install new wells for national groundwater monitoring

    Nov 6, 2018 12:30 pm

    Scientists and staff from the Illinois State Geological Survey and the Illinois State Water Survey  ollaborated with county and local governments in Kane County to install groundwater-monitoring wells in northeast Illinois as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Ground Water Monitoring Network. 

  • Water Survey to analyze flood risks along the Little Wabash River

    Nov 13, 2018 10:30 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey announced today that new hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of the Little Wabash River is underway as part of a study to help local communities identify areas of high flood risk along the Little Wabash River and its tributaries for flood mitigation planning.

  • Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel to retire in December

    Nov 14, 2018 2:00 pm

    Jim Angel, Illinois State Climatologist, has announced that he will retire in December 2018 after 34 years at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS). In his current position, Angel has served as the primary source of science-based weather and climate information and services for the state of Illinois since 1997.

  • Soil Temperatures Continue to Decline in November

    Nov 19, 2018 10:00 am

    Soil temperatures have fallen significantly throughout the state in November, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • State Climatologist Jim Angel authors Midwest chapter of 2018 National Climate Assessment

    Nov 27, 2018 10:00 am

    If nothing is done about climate change by 2050, Midwest farmers could see their productivity decrease to a level not seen since the 1980s, according to a new report from 13 federal agencies.

  • Jim Angel

    Angel talks climate, career with Illinois News Bureau

    Dec 3, 2018 8:45 am

    News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian spoke with State Climatologist Jim Angel about his career, climate change and the recently released National Climate Assessment.

  • November was cold and snowy in Illinois

    Dec 4, 2018 2:30 pm

    The statewide average temperature for November in Illinois was 35.3 degrees, which is 7.2 degrees below normal, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois. November 2018 was ranked the eighth coldest November on record.

  • December in Illinois: Tornadoes, warm temperatures, and little snow

    Jan 2, 2019 3:00 pm

    With warmer than average temperatures, December 2018 brought slight snowfall and a historic late-season severe weather outbreak to Illinois.

  • Annual precipitation records were broken across the Midwest

    Jan 7, 2019 3:30 pm

    More than 120 stations across the Midwest had their wettest year on record in 2018, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS). 

  • map of Central Illinois' Mahomet aquifer

    Mahomet Aquifer Protection Task Force issues recommendations

    Jan 9, 2019 4:45 pm

    A task force formed by the Illinois General Assembly to identify gaps in protection of the Mahomet Aquifer has issued its final recommendations. Illinois State Water Survey hydrologist George Roadcap served as a member of the task force, and other Prairie Research Institute scientists provided data and expertise to support the group’s yearlong effort.

  • Walton R. Kelly, John Scott, Nancy Holm, Wei Zheng and Samuel V. Panno

    Microplastic contamination found in common source of groundwater

    Jan 25, 2019 7:45 am

    A new study by PRI scientists is the first to report microplastics in fractured limestone aquifers – a groundwater source that accounts for 25 percent of the global drinking water supply.

  • metal rain gage standing in field of brown plants

    Illinois Climate Network marks 30 years of monitoring Illinois weather and soil

    Jan 31, 2019 10:45 am

    It’s been 30 years since the Illinois State Water Survey launched the Illinois Climate Network (ICN) to monitor the state’s weather and soils. The 19 ICN stations around the state collect data on wind speed and direction, air temperature, humidity, precipitation, barometric pressure, solar radiation, soil temperatures and soil moisture. Water Survey staff also calculate data on dew point, degree days, potential evapotranspiration, and temperature inversion. All of this information—an annual total of 2 million records—is used by farmers, researchers, and businesses for decision making and planning.

  • Previous records slashed with monumental cold conditions in Illinois

    Jan 31, 2019 4:00 pm

    Illinois has been experiencing some of the coldest weather that has been seen in decades and, in some locations, ever.

  • snow and frost on tree branches

    A warm start to January, followed by snow and record-breaking cold

    Feb 1, 2019 2:15 pm

    January 2019 will be a month remembered by an unseasonably warm start, followed by a torrent of winter storms, and ending with a monumental Arctic air outbreak that shattered many record-cold temperatures across the state.

  • Survey seeks ideas to help specialty crop growers make pest control decisions

    Feb 19, 2019 10:15 am

    Researchers at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute are developing new pest degree day tools for the state’s specialty crop growers. A short online survey offers growers the opportunity to contribute their opinions on how this information is delivered.

  • Water Survey reports on water demand in Middle Illinois, Kankakee, and Rock River regions

    Feb 19, 2019 2:00 pm

    The Water Survey has published reports on water demand in three water supply planning regions in Illinois: the Middle Illinois (ISWS Contract Report 2018-0), Kankakee (ISWS Contract Report 2019-01), and Rock River (ISWS Contract Report 2019-02) regions.

  • snow falling on person under umbrella

    Stormy, wet, and chilly February for Illinois

    Mar 1, 2019 2:00 pm

    February was particularly cold and stormy in Illinois, with an almost constant succession of storms resulting in moderate snow accumulations for the northern counties and persistent rain events and widespread flooding for the far southern counties.

  • Bitter cold in January likely won’t reduce field crop pests in the spring

    Mar 14, 2019 1:30 pm

    Despite the record cold air temperatures, soil temperatures averaged slightly warmer than normal this winter. Consequently, the Arctic conditions are expected to have little effect on overwintering field crop insect pest populations.

  • Water Survey to analyze flood risks in Peoria County

    Mar 21, 2019 11:15 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) announced today that new hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of select streams in Peoria County is underway as part of a study to help local communities identify high flood-risk areas for flood mitigation planning.

  • Map of building footprints

    Project maps out building footprints in Illinois to study natural disasters

    Mar 27, 2019 10:00 am

    Researchers at the University of Illinois are keeping an eye on areas of Illinois that are at high risk for flooding, not only county by county, but also building by building.

  • rain

    March 2019: A cold start with a stormy, wet finish to the month

    Apr 1, 2019 2:30 pm

    March 2019 will be a month remembered for an unseasonably cold start, followed by an active and wet weather pattern which resulted in a continuation of excess soil moisture, and major flooding events on many local streams and rivers.

  • ""

    Soil temperatures are warming in mid-April

    Apr 19, 2019 9:15 am

    Soil temperatures are rising throughout Illinois in mid-April, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey. Soil temperatures in Illinois were near normal the first half of the month with an average of 50° at depths of 4 inches under bare soil, 1° above the long-term average.   

  • snow on pine branches

    April 2019: An active weather pattern and late-season snow

    May 1, 2019 4:30 pm

    April 2019 will be a month remembered for a continuation of an active and stormy weather pattern across Illinois, with two short-lived, yet notable and uncommon late-season snow events which impacted many in the northern portions of the state.

  • storm drain

    Researchers update Illinois standards for storm frequencies

    May 2, 2019 10:45 am

    Researchers at the Illinois State Water Survey have recently applied newer data to update Bulletin 70, the publication that provides the state standards for expected extreme storms. Engineers who design these sewers and culverts are typically required by county or community ordinances to use data from Bulletin 70 to build adequate structures based on a predefined magnitude and duration of storms.

  • ""

    Soils are warming and drying in mid-May

    May 17, 2019 10:00 am

    After a cooling spell last weekend, soil temperatures are once again rising in Illinois, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • flooded river

    Water Survey to analyze flood risks along the Wabash River

    May 20, 2019 8:30 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey (announced today that new hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of the Wabash River and select tributaries is underway as part of a study to help local communities identify high flood-risk areas within the Lower Wabash and Middle Wabash-Busseron watersheds for flood mitigation planning in Illinois.

  • Hideyuki Terashima, Walt Kelly, Katie Buckley, Jennifer Wilson, and Steve Wilson

    Water Survey hosts National Private Well Conference

    Jun 3, 2019 11:30 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey organized and hosted the 2nd National Private Well Conference May 21-23, 2019 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There were over 120 attendees from 33 states at the event, which featured 25 presentations, a driller's panel, and a dozen 5-minute lightning talks.

  • rain on umbrella

    May 2019: Exceptionally wet and stormy across Illinois

    Jun 3, 2019 3:30 pm

    May 2019 will be a month remembered for exceptional, record-breaking wet conditions locally, as well as an active, stormy, and at times severe weather pattern across the state.

  • ""

    Illinois soils are cooler and wetter in mid-June

    Jun 18, 2019 8:45 am

    Soil temperatures are increasing after a cooling period the second week of June, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • rain on umbrella

    June 2019: Stormy and wet with a warm finish

    Jul 1, 2019 4:30 pm

    June 2019 will be a month remembered for a continuation of above average precipitation and near to seasonably cool temperatures, despite an unseasonably warm finish.

  • ""

    Illinois soils are warmer, drier in mid-July

    Jul 15, 2019 2:15 pm

    Soils in mid-July are continuing to warm across the state, surpassing average temperatures from last year, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

  • sun

    July 2019: Prolonged stretch of abnormally wet weather comes to an end

    Aug 1, 2019 3:30 pm

    July 2019 signaled the end of a persistent and historic stretch of abnormally wet conditions across Illinois, along with several notable periods of significantly above average temperatures.

  • Trent Ford

    Trent Ford named new Illinois State Climatologist

    Aug 12, 2019 11:15 am

    Hydroclimatologist Trent Ford, currently an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, has been selected as the next Illinois State Climatologist, the authoritative source of weather and climate information and services for the state of Illinois. 

  • dry cracked soil

    Unequal August precipitation leads to drought in Illinois

    Sep 3, 2019 10:00 am

    August 2019 will be remembered for remarkable differences in monthly precipitation totals across Illinois, as well as the first appearance of drought in the state since September 2018.

  • McConkey joins U of I group on building resilience to climate change

    Sep 11, 2019 9:30 am

    Professional engineer Sally McConkey has joined the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment’s (iSEE) new Resilience Working Advisory Team (RWAT) to foster resilience to the local effects of climate change.

  • ISWS team wins 2019 NGWA Outstanding Groundwater Supply Project Award

    Sep 16, 2019 7:00 am

    The Groundwater science team at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) has received the National Ground Water Association Outstanding Groundwater Supply Project Award for 2019 for their project Assessing At-Risk Groundwater Supply in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago. 

  • ""

    Most of Illinois has warmer, drier soils in mid-September

    Sep 17, 2019 9:00 am

    Warmer weather has caused higher than normal soil temperatures for Illinois, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

  • frost on branches

    State Climatologist looks at fall freeze data

    Sep 25, 2019 8:45 am

    Due to significant planting delays across most of the Midwest this year, State Climatologist Trent Ford has heard many concerns about an early fall freeze and its potential effects on immature crops. Even in normal growing seasons, an early fall freeze can cause considerable impacts and yield losses for crops.

  • sun

    September heat, flooding, and drought

    Oct 1, 2019 2:15 pm

    September 2019 was tied for the fourth-warmest September for Illinois (state average temperatures back to 1895), and the warmest September since 1933. Precipitation varied tremendously from north to south across the state.

  • ISWS partnership helps prevent water shortage in Northeastern Illinois

    Oct 15, 2019 10:00 am

    Facing an imminent water shortage and drilling deeper into its aquifers to meet demands, planning committees and legislators from Joliet and surrounding communities are partnering the ISWS to prevent a water crisis.

  • ""

    Soils cooler in October

    Oct 18, 2019 7:30 am

    Soil temperatures have fallen across the state as October brought cooler weather, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

    Soil temperatures at 4 inches under sod averaged 57 degrees on Oct. 16, 2 degrees below the long-term average for mid-October. Temperatures have been steadily falling throughout the month, dropping 18 degrees since Oct. 1. Daily highs have ranged from the mid 50s to low 60s.

  • brown fallen leaves

    October broke records for both heat and cold

    Nov 1, 2019 2:15 pm

    State Climatologist Trent Fords reports that Illinois saw highly variable temperatures in October, with record-breaking heat in the early part of the month and record-breaking cold in the latter part.

  • Welcome new Water Survey staff!

    Nov 4, 2019 12:45 pm

    Since the beginning of the year the Water Survey has hired more than a dozen new people, expanding its capabilities and capacity.

  • Project features home assessments for flood risks

    Nov 13, 2019 4:15 pm

    Scientists studying and mapping flood hazards have long identified whole neighborhoods that are vulnerable to flooding, but with new data, researchers at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) can specify flood risk for individual homes and businesses.

  • light frost on fall leaves

    Cold November brings an end to meteorological autumn

    Dec 2, 2019 3:45 pm

    November temperatures were well below the long-term average across the state, breaking hundreds of local daily records. The preliminary statewide November average temperature was 35.6 degrees, about 7 degrees below our 30-year normal and tied for the ninth coldest on record.