Prairie Research Institute

blog posts

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  PRI executive director Praveen Kumar elected as 2023 AAAS Fellow

  Apr 18, 2024 10:15 am

  Seven University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professors have been elected 2023 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They are among the 502 scientists, engineers and innovators recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements by the world’s largest general scientific society.  

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  INHS malacologist Sarah Douglass among the sixteen employees honored with Chancellor's Staff Excellence Award

  Apr 18, 2024 8:00 am

  Sixteen academic professionals and civil service staff members have received the 2024 Chancellor’s Staff Excellence Award. 

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  Soils are warm throughout Illinois in mid-April

  Apr 16, 2024 3:45 pm

  Warm weather has continued into April, impacting soil temperatures, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

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  INHS survey studies Illinois hunters’ beliefs about controlling disease in deer populations

  Apr 3, 2024 11:15 am

  Despite the increase in cases of chronic wasting disease in Illinois deer, hunters in recent years have gained trust in agency actions and are more positive about the use of sharpshooting to control the disease, according to a survey of hunters conducted at the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) at the Prairie Research Institute.

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  Water Survey program to monitor weather effects of the solar eclipse

  Apr 3, 2024 8:45 am

  As the solar eclipse brings a spectacular show in the sky on April 8, viewers can also follow its path online as the Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) program at the Illinois State Water Survey offers real-time monitoring of changing weather conditions during the event. 

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  Warm and dynamic March opens spring

  Apr 2, 2024 9:15 am

  March’s warmer than average temperatures are expected to continue into April, which could lead off a warm and wet spring all the way into June, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

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  Forbes Biological Station celebrates 130th anniversary

  Apr 1, 2024 11:30 am

  The Illinois Natural History Survey at the Prairie Research Institute is home to the first inland field station in the United States. Founded 130 years ago, Forbes Biological Station is located in Havana, Illinois. Director Auriel Fournier reflects on the history and research legacy of the Forbes Biological Station on its anniversary.

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

  Mar 27, 2024 1:00 pm

  The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is collecting data within the Upper, Middle, and Lower Kaskaskia River watersheds as part of a multiple-phase hydrologic and hydraulic study to help local communities identify areas of high flood risk for flood mitigation planning. 

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  University of Illinois-Washington University team part of NSF’s program focused on equitable water solutions

  Mar 19, 2024 4:15 pm

  The National Science Foundation recently announced the awarding of 15 grants, totaling $9.8 million, to interdisciplinary teams under Track K: Equitable Water Solutions, focused on research to benefit society at large. The University of Illinois team, working with researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, received $650,000 for a one-year effort to further develop their idea of passive sampling of water quality at the tap.

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  Heavenly history and the moon

  Mar 19, 2024 8:45 am

  From Ohio's lunar-aligned monuments to Cahokia's sacred rituals, journey through time to explore the profound connection between humanity and the cosmos, culminating in the anticipation of the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. 

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  Learning by listening to the people who live it

  Mar 19, 2024 8:30 am
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  Beneath the Surface: Charting the Mahomet Aquifer for Water Security

  Mar 6, 2024 7:15 am

  Cutting-edge investigations will result in the most accurate maps of the Mahomet Aquifer to date

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  ISAS to lead “Field to Lab” summer program

  Mar 5, 2024 4:00 pm

  Illinois State Archaeological Survey curation section head Tamira Brennan and senior collections specialist Sara Pfannkuche will be leading an intensive, multi-week and experiential summer curatorial program in collaboration with the Institute for Field Research.

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  Higher soil temperatures this winter foretell potential crop pest problems

  Mar 5, 2024 3:15 pm

  Winter 2023-24 has been warm throughout Illinois, creating conditions ripe for insects to overwinter, according to scientists at the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois.  

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  Another Mild February Ends Another Weak Winter in Illinois

  Mar 5, 2024 9:45 am

  Preliminary findings showed that February 2024 was the 3^rd warmest and 4^th driest on record back to the 1800s in Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.  

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  Starving mosquitoes for science

  Feb 23, 2024 9:45 am

  A behind the scenes look at the Medical Entomology Laboratory at Illinois Nature History Survey and the work of Jiayue (Gabriel) Yan on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

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  What's the importance of state scientists?

  Feb 15, 2024 8:45 am

  State scientists are a critical part of research efforts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – as well as helping to inform state policy, working with industry and educating the public on issues of scientific importance. Praveen Kumar, the executive director of the Prairie Research Institute, discusses the importance of Illinois state scientists and the roles they play as experts for the state with News Bureau staff writer Maeve Reilly.

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  Study tracks emerging contaminants from landfill to treatment plant to application

  Feb 6, 2024 9:30 am

  In a recent study published in an Illinois Sustainable Technology Center report, John Scott, analytical chemist at ISTC in the University of Illinois, studied the fate of microplastics and PFAS as they moved from landfill leachate, or water that filters though the mound of trash, to wastewater treatment plants and beyond. 

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  A wet and wild January finally brings winter to Illinois

  Feb 6, 2024 9:15 am

  Mild weather carried over from December into January in Illinois, when frigid temperatures and winter storms hit mid-month. Rain and snowfall in January took a big bite out of drought in the state, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.  January precipitation tied for the eighth wettest January on record.

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  Evolving Energy: From Coal to Critical Minerals

  Jan 31, 2024 9:30 am

  The Prairie Research Institute conducts work at the nexus of scientific research and industrial application, anchoring the narrative of the nation’s energy story. At the heart of this endeavor is the Illinois Basin, a massive geologic structure underlying roughly 70% of Illinois, with subsurface layers that hold a wealth of traditional energy resources and serve as a foundation for innovative environmental and energy solutions.

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  Propelling Innovation: PRI and Illinois’ Industrial Evolution

  Jan 31, 2024 9:15 am

  The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), part of the Prairie Research Institute, plays a vital role in researching and analyzing Illinois’ mineral resources, including coal, fluorite, lead, limestone, and sand and gravel. Their work has been instrumental in mapping reserves, guiding sustainable mining practices, and informing policy decisions.

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  Cultivating Innovation: The Intersection of Geography, Climate, and Agricultural Research in Illinois

  Jan 31, 2024 8:45 am

  Since its inception in 2008, the Prairie Research Institute has conducted long-term monitoring of Illinois’ water, soil, and climate. These data, including growing and pest degree days, soil temperature and moisture, water table levels, and in-stream sediment, are used every day by thousands of Illinoisans and by the state’s agriculture, renewable energy, and construction industries.

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  Preventing Roadblocks: PRI Keeps Illinois on the Straight and Narrow

  Jan 31, 2024 8:00 am

  With the help of Prairie Research Institute scientists, transportation agencies are building Illinois roads in compliance with state and federal regulations, while preserving Illinois’ physical, biological, natural, and cultural resources.

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  Survey: Farmers’ attitudes about land ownership belies some stereotypes

  Jan 25, 2024 10:15 am

  A recent Prairie Research Institute (PRI) study of attitudes about land conservation found that Illinois farmers view themselves as stewards of their land, balancing conservation with earning a profit. Nearly half of farmers surveyed said they would use conservation practices even without financial compensation from federal land conservation programs.

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  Marc Miller named Deputy Director of the Prairie Research Institute

  Jan 16, 2024 8:00 am

  The Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is pleased to announce the appointment of Marc Miller as its new Deputy Director. Miller, a former Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) from 2009 - 2015, brings a wealth of public policy experience and leadership to his new role.

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  Small food businesses in Chicago tackle food waste

  Jan 4, 2024 3:00 pm

  In an Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) pilot project, a few small food businesses in Chicago learned that there are other, feasible options for handling wasted food than throwing it away. Composting, for one, works well for businesses that have access to compost hauling services.

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  December average temperature in top three for Illinois

  Jan 3, 2024 9:30 am

  Preliminary reports showed that December 2023 was the third warmest December on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

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  Reflecting on the Great Midwestern flood of 1993

  Dec 4, 2023 12:30 pm

  In 1993, the Midwestern United States experienced one of the worst flooding disasters in modern U.S. history. The Great Flood became the most costly and devastating modern flood that has ever been seen in the United States. Twenty million acres across nine states were inundated, with some areas remaining above flood stage for over 150 consecutive days.

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  November puts an end to a warmer and drier fall

  Dec 4, 2023 10:15 am

  The average statewide temperature was above the 30-year average in November, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Illinois State Water Survey. Precipitation was 2.34 inches below average, making it the eighth driest of that month on record. 

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  PRI geoscientists begin work on $6 million federal investment in geothermal energy

  Nov 29, 2023 2:00 pm

  Geoscientists from the Illinois State Geological Survey have begun geologic and hydrogeologic site characterization work for major federal geothermal energy projects.

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  Coming soon: new hotline, website, and maps on private wells

  Nov 27, 2023 11:15 am

  A new hotline, website, and other resources will soon be available through the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) for private well and septic system owners and the water professionals that serve them. 

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  A warming climate is evident in new winter plant hardiness map

  Nov 16, 2023 2:00 pm

  Changes in the new 2023 US Department of Agriculture’s plant hardiness map are strong evidence of global warming.

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  Remembering James “Jimmy” Burns

  Nov 10, 2023 3:45 pm

  It is with profound sadness that we share the news that James “Jimmy” Burns passed away on November 7, 2023. Jimmy was a consummate field archaeologist who worked extensively across the Midwest, Far West, and Southeast over a 40-year career in both cultural resource management and academic settings. Above all, Jimmy was the best friend a person could be and he will be missed forever across ISAS, PRI, and beyond. 

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  A mild October had a chilly end

  Nov 2, 2023 11:30 am

  Most of October in Illinois had above average temperatures, until a weather shift in the last few days of the month brought a shockingly cold Halloween and even snow in some areas, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Illinois State Water Survey. 

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  Do we need a new approach to prevent bird window strikes?

  Oct 23, 2023 9:00 am

  In early October, nearly 1,000 birds perished after colliding with the windows of a convention center near Lake Michigan in Chicago, marking the largest mass bird die-off in decades. But bird window-strike fatalities are an ongoing threat. Illinois Natural History Survey wildlife ecologist Thomas J. Benson, an expert in bird population trends in Illinois, spoke to News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about the problem and what new strategies may help.

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  Illinois soils are cooling in the first half of October

  Oct 18, 2023 9:30 am

  Soil temperatures have fallen 10 to 20 degrees so far in October, which is normal for this time of year.

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  Flotation for the Future

  Oct 11, 2023 1:30 pm

  A massive archaeological site in St. Clair County, Illinois, was excavated by ISAS for the Illinois Department of Transportation between 1998 and 2007 to make way for a new bridge over the Mississippi River. ISAS archaeologists excavated some 7,000 discrete “features,” locations of trash-filled storage pits and houses, among other things, near the banks of the Mississippi River.

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  PRI tapped to lead feasibility studies for three regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) hubs

  Oct 5, 2023 8:00 am

  This once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure will support efforts to build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves a zero-carbon energy system by 2035 and to put the United States on a path to strengthen energy prosperity and achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 2050. 

  PRI is specifically tasked with executing feasibility and pre-feasibility studies of potential DAC Hub locations, ownership structures, business models, CO2 storage/utilization option(s), and technology partner(s) outlined in the following stage 1 of potential multi-stage projects in Illlinois, Colorado, and Florida.

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  Scientist studies support for non-lead ammunition in dove hunting

  Oct 3, 2023 2:15 pm

  A large majority of Illinois mourning dove hunters would oppose a state ban on lead shot when hunting doves, according to an Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) survey focused on beliefs about lead vs. non-lead ammunition. Hunters who already use steel shot for hunting waterfowl because of federal restrictions are the group most likely to oppose these same restrictions when hunting doves.

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  New research shows rattlesnakes are social animals

  Oct 3, 2023 9:00 am

  Researchers found that a population of rattlesnakes formed social groups that they frequently interacted within. Despite having overlapping home ranges, they rarely if ever interacted with snakes outside of their social groups. The groups were not formed based solely on geography or family relationships, but rather appear to be based on the time of year, as they leave and return to their winter homes.  

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  The squirrel experiment

  Sep 21, 2023 9:45 am
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  Windows to the deep past

  Sep 21, 2023 8:00 am
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  Illinois drought impacts continue into the fall

  Sep 14, 2023 2:30 pm

  Drought intensified again in Illinois at the end of the growing season, increasing the risk of fire and blowing dust as harvest approaches. River levels have also dropped near or below low stage, leading to navigation concerns.

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  Illinois soils are cooler and drier in mid-September

  Sep 14, 2023 2:15 pm

  Cooler weather in the past week has led to lower soil temperatures throughout the state in mid-September.

  
  

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  August wrapped up a mild and drier summer in Illinois

  Sep 1, 2023 2:45 pm

  The heatwave in late August was intense, but the average temperature and rainfall for the month were nearly normal based on long-term records, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Illinois State Water Survey. Likewise, the summer season temperature was within 1 degree of normal with slightly drier conditions. 

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  ISWS wins Salt Symposium Chloride Reduction Leadership award

  Aug 30, 2023 10:00 am

  Starting in the late 1990s, the ISWS began assessing groundwater quality data in the Chicago region to determine how chloride concentrations might be increasing with time due to road deicing applications. It turns out almost all water resources in the region are being impacted. Because of these efforts and increased awareness, various counties and municipalities in the region now practice sensible salting, including pre-application of brines and training of operators. 

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  PRI joins prestigious Direct Air Capture Coalition

  Aug 29, 2023 9:00 am

  Following an unprecedented win of Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hubs earlier this month, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was invited to join the Direct Air Capture Coalition (DAC Coalition), in part, due to the commercial success of its point-source carbon capture and its decades of experience in permanently storing CO₂ underground at a commercial scale.

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  Illinois soils have cooled in mid-August

  Aug 17, 2023 9:15 am

  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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  New law fosters farmers’ fresh produce donations to Illinois food banks

  Aug 16, 2023 8:45 am

  With Governor JB Pritzker’s signature on House Bill 2879, the Farm to Food Bank Program has been established in Illinois. The program helps farmers donate their surplus produce to local food banks and assists more than 1 million Illinoisans facing food insecurity. An ongoing three-year Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) effort, which includes a feasibility study and pilot projects, has proven that the program can be successful in Illinois.

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  PRI Executive Director selected as UI President’s Executive Leadership Program fellow

  Aug 16, 2023 8:00 am

  Kumar, the Colonel Harry F. and Frankie M. Lovell Endowed Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering is one of six people from the Urbana-Champaign campus to be chosen as 2023-24 President’s Executive Leadership Program (PELP) fellows. He is a seasoned research leader and expert in hydrology studying the complex interactions between the water cycle, climate change, vegetation, and surface and sub-surface transport of water and chemicals in human-dominated and natural systems.