blog posts

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  Fall begins with a warm and very dry September

  Oct 8, 2025 8:30 am0 views
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  Drought intensifying in Illinois

  Sep 11, 2025 5:45 pm0 views

  An extremely dry end to summer and start to fall has intensified ongoing drought in central and southern Illinois and increased the fire and blowing dust risk as we approach harvest, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Prairie Research Institute. River levels have dropped near or below low stage, including on the Kaskaskia, Sangamon, and Mackinaw, among others.

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  Shelton named Illinois State Water Survey director

  Aug 14, 2025 4:45 pm17 views

  Jenna Shelton recently joined the Prairie Research Institute as the new director of the Illinois State Water Survey. Shelton is a hydrobiogeochemist with 14 years of experience at the U.S. Geological Survey. She has a dynamic background of research and leadership, with expertise in strategic planning, machine learning, budgeting, the energy-water nexus, workforce development, stakeholder outreach, and international and Tribal Nation relations.

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  Staying ahead of intense precipitation in Illinois

  Aug 7, 2025 12:00 pm3 views

  The Prairie State is no stranger to intense precipitation and consequential flooding. However, the frequency and intensity of rainfall have been increasing in recent decades, putting a renewed focus on the information, warning systems, planning and preparation needed to protect Illinois from the threat of intense rainfall.

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  June brought summer heat, storms

  Jul 16, 2025 8:45 am0 views

  The heat wave in late June was extreme in both its intensity — especially nighttime temperatures — and its duration, breaking 14 daily high and 88 daily high minimum temperature records across Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Prairie Research Institute.

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  Mild May wraps up otherwise warm spring in Illinois

  Jun 16, 2025 12:30 pm0 views

  Despite milder May temperatures, the spring season was still a top 10 warmest on record in many places in the Midwest, including in St. Louis, Peoria, and Paducah, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Prairie Research Institute.

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  Water survey to analyze flood risk in McHenry County

  Jun 3, 2025 3:45 pm0 views

  The Illinois State Water Survey is continuing data development for the Kishwaukee River watershed as part of a multiple-phase study to help local communities identify areas of high flood risk for flood mitigation planning.

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  Water survey to analyze flood risks in Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Jasper, Lawrence counties

  May 23, 2025 3:00 pm0 views

  The Illinois State Water Survey is continuing data development for the Embarras River watershed as part of a multiple-phase study to help local communities identify areas of high flood risk for flood mitigation planning.

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  Meet Gustava Curtin, graduate research assistant

  Feb 24, 2025 7:00 am7 views
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  Meet Sarah Manderbach, water safety researcher

  Oct 29, 2024 8:00 am7 views
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  Meet Jake Vile, undergraduate researcher

  Jul 29, 2024 10:30 am5 views
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  Atticus Zavelle, 2024 Distinguished Research Specialist/Technician Award recipient

  Jun 7, 2024 8:30 am10 views

  Atticus Zavelle, senior scientific specialist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Research Specialist/Technician Award by the Prairie Research Institute.

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  Walton R. Kelly, 2024 Research Scientist Career Achievement Award recipient

  Jun 6, 2024 8:30 am14 views

  Walton R. Kelly is the recipient of the Prairie Research Institute’s 2024 Research Scientist Career Achievement Award, which recognizes the achievements of a PRI scientist whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights have had a significant impact over the course of their career.

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  Water Survey to analyze flood risks in Clinton, Fayette, Shelby, and Washington counties, Illinois

  Mar 29, 2024 11:30 am5 views
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  PRI team part of NSF’s program focused on equitable water solutions

  Mar 19, 2024 4:30 pm6 views
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  Coming soon: new hotline, website, and maps on private wells

  Feb 7, 2024 9:15 am5 views
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  ISWS wins Salt Symposium Chloride Reduction Leadership award

  Aug 30, 2023 11:15 am6 views

  The annual Salt Symposium Chloride Reduction Leadership Award recognizes individuals and organizations who are leading the way in chloride reduction. This year, the Illinois State Water Survey’s (ISWS) groundwater science section which includes Walt Kelly, Daniel Abrams, Devin Mannix, and Cecilia Cullen, was one of six recipients of this award. 

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  Illinois soils have cooled in mid-August

  Aug 21, 2023 3:00 pm20 views

  A change in weather has cooled soils across Illinois in mid-August, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

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  July brought sweetcorn…and floods, drought, heat, smoke, and tornadoes

  Aug 3, 2023 4:15 pm5 views

  In one month, Illinoisans experienced severe heat, lingering drought and flash floods, strong storms, and poor air quality. This was not your typical July, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Illinois State Water Survey.

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  Students take on watershed project in summer internship

  Jul 24, 2023 3:00 pm7 views

  College students in a summer internship program at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) are developing new skills in geographic information system (GIS) learning while tackling ways to map Illinois streamflow more accurately to inform soil conservation efforts. This on-the-job training will better prepare students for future studies and their careers.

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  Momcilo Markus named Head of the Watershed Science Section

  Jun 21, 2023 3:15 pm6 views
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  Database reveals locations of sinkholes, crevices, and mines in Jo Daviess County

  May 18, 2023 9:45 am2 views
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  Remembering Dr. Misganaw "Mike" Demissie 1949 - 2023

  May 1, 2023 12:15 pm5 views
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  Laura Keefer named Deputy Director of the Water Survey

  Apr 18, 2023 12:45 pm4 views
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  Backyard weather observers contribute to science

  Apr 4, 2023 9:15 am4 views
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  PRI water and climate experts take part in new State Water Plan and its goals

  Jan 23, 2023 3:30 pm6 views
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  2022 research report highlights Water Survey work

  Sep 2, 2022 5:00 pm82 views

  The Water Survey's annual research report highlights the work of our scientists in key areas, including public health,  community resiliency, surface and groundwater, climate and atmospheric science, and the nexus of water and sustainable energy. Download the Water Survey's 2021 Research Report

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  Groundwater experts help industries and nature preserves thrive

  Jul 7, 2022 8:00 am7 views
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  Data from the sky inform flood planning

  Jun 21, 2022 8:00 am5 views
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  ISWS-Waterly partnership digitizes groundwater data

  Jun 15, 2022 4:00 pm5 views
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  Bondville weather station has a long history of research partnerships

  May 3, 2022 1:30 pm6 views
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  Groundwater hydrologist Steve Wilson receives PRI, U of I recognition awards

  Apr 6, 2022 8:15 am8 views

  Steven Wilson is one of six recipients of the Chancellor's Academic Professional Excellence award for 2022.  The CAPE award was established to recognize academic professionals for their work, personal and professional contributions. 

  Wilson assists people nationally who get their drinking water from private wells. His programs also serve as a resource for water and wastewater system operators in small towns and on tribal lands. His work includes applied scientific research, outreach and education of the general public and government officials.

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  Winter soil conditions and an insect pest forecast for Illinois

  Mar 14, 2022 9:00 am4 views

  Near-average winter soil and air temperatures are an indication that crop insect pests may have survived the cold in Illinois, according to scientists Jennie Atkins and Kelly Estes at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois.

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  National Science Foundation funds project to improve weather forecasts for cities

  Feb 23, 2022 8:30 am6 views

  Scientists at the Illinois State Water Survey have begun a new project that will ultimately improve weather forecasting of severe storms and heatwaves in cities across the United States. In the three-year project with a budget of over $850,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF), ISWS will focus on improving weather forecasts for the Chicago, New York, and Denver metro areas using observations from space and from the ground combined with numerical model development. The goal is to study the chemistry, atmosphere, and human adaptive choices that influence storms and heatwaves over cities.

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  Study seeks private well users for research into lead levels

  Jan 24, 2022 9:15 am101 views

  The Water Survey, with collaborators from the University of Illinois and county health departments, is continuing a study into measurable lead levels in homes with private wells in rural areas and is now recruiting participants from Champaign and Whiteside counties and the neighboring counties of Ogle, Lee, Bureau, Henry, and Rock Island. If you live in one of these counties, use a private well, and are interested in participating, please contact waterlead@illinois.edu for more information.

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  Scientist-community interaction is a boon for water supply planning

  Jan 13, 2022 11:45 am3 views
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  How can cities help accelerate climate action to meet COP26 goals?

  Nov 18, 2021 8:30 am4 views
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  Time for Illinoisans to report irrigation water use

  Sep 30, 2021 2:30 pm6 views
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  PRI projects and data boost agricultural producers’ productivity

  Sep 9, 2021 9:45 am6 views
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  Water Survey simulation matches Aug. 12 Gibson City flood

  Aug 24, 2021 2:00 pm35 views

  A model simulation produced by the Illinois State Water Survey shows the progression of the flood in Gibson City from the morning to the evening of Aug. 12, 2021.

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  Sampling sewer water for COVID-19 in the community

  Aug 9, 2021 10:15 am13 views

  Illinois State Water Survey researchers are part of a project to look for traces of SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in sewer water in order to help monitor the spread of infection.  

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  2021 research report highlights Water Survey work in key strategic areas

  Jul 27, 2021 5:00 pm54 views

  The Water Survey's annual research report highlights the work of our scientists in key areas, including public health,  community resiliency, surface and groundwater, climate and atmospheric science, and the nexus of water and sustainable energy. Download the Water Survey's 2021 Research Report

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  Integrating surface water and groundwater modeling 

  Jul 27, 2021 2:30 pm8 views
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  Understanding water’s role in decarbonization 

  Jul 27, 2021 2:30 pm7 views
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  Increasing opportunities through hazard mitigation

  Jul 27, 2021 2:15 pm11 views
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  Climate studies focus on a new priority: urban areas

  Jul 15, 2021 1:30 pm14 views
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  Climatologist: Vegetation plays a role in developing flash droughts

  Apr 22, 2021 2:00 pm8 views
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  Water Survey helps Cook County manage stormwater

  Apr 5, 2021 9:30 am5 views

  Experts from the Illinois State Water Survey have been working since 2015 with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), supporting MWRD in making informed watershed management decisions for its vast service area that includes 128 suburban communities in Cook County. 

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  Improved pest degree day calculators are available for the 2021 growing season

  Feb 5, 2021 8:00 am5 views
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  Meet the Health and Environmental Applications Lab team

  Jan 11, 2021 4:00 pm6 views

  The Water Survey’s Health and Environmental Applications Laboratory (HEAL) provides chemical analysis services to support better understanding of our water resources. HEAL supports state institutions, communities, and people in Illinois and beyond.