Prairie Research Institute News

PRI petroleum geologist receives campus honor

Apr 3, 2014 1:45 pm

Geologic formation could hold clues to melting glacier floodwaters

Dec 23, 2015 10:45 am

One Million Metric Tons of CO2: A Minute With U. OF I. Geologist Robert Finley

Jan 9, 2015 1:30 pm

U. of I. to receive Energy Frontier Research Center awards

Jul 3, 2014 1:45 pm

helicopter tows electromagnetic equipment over Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan coast to get a complete physical checkup from the air

Mar 6, 2017 4:15 pm

Patent awarded to ISGS engineers for a novel sorbent process to reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants

Apr 22, 2016 2:45 pm

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.

Microplastic contamination found in common source of groundwater, researchers report

Jan 25, 2019 1:30 pm

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.

Understanding erosion at Illinois Beach State Park

Aug 27, 2020 4:45 pm

ISGS and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program are studying shoreline dynamics, erosion, and habitat loss at Illinois Beach State Park, one of the last stretches of natural coastline in Illinois.

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

Freshwater coastal erosion alters global carbon budget

Mar 27, 2019 1:30 pm

Shoreline erosion can transform freshwater wetlands from carbon-storage pools to carbon sources, according to a new study led by Illinois State Geological Survey researchers.

Richard C. Berg Named New Director of the Illinois State Geological Survey

Jun 16, 2015 3:00 pm

On June 16, 2015, Dr. Richard C. Berg was named the new director of the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) and 13th Illinois State Geologist. Berg has served the ISGS in various positions with increasing responsibilities during his 40-year career—from research assistant, to geologist, to section head, to chief scientist/principal geologist, to interim director, and now director.

aerial view of an alfalfa field in Jo Daviess County during the 2012 drought

National award highlights power of science in sustainable development

Jul 20, 2016 1:45 pm

Windows to the deep past

Sep 21, 2023 8:00 am

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.

Understanding Lake Michigan's dynamic shoreline

Sep 11, 2020 4:30 pm

ISGS scientists work the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to develop a better understanding of shoreline dynamics along the Illinois coast of Lake Michigan. Such insights are needed to inform coastal managers on how to best preserve the remaining natural coastline in Illinois.

Finding water in Malawi

Oct 10, 2018 2:00 pm

Geophysicist Timothy Larson was part of a project through Geoscientists Without Borders to drill water wells in Malawi.

geologist Sam Panno explores Calf Cave in Joe Daviess County

Jo Daviess County collaboration tackles water quality

Dec 10, 2019 12:30 pm

With its unique geology marked by sinkholes, crevices, and caves, Jo Daviess County is highly susceptible to water contamination. Scientists from the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) and Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) are using their expertise and collaborating with a local organization to help citizens understand water quality issues and protect their water supplies.

Earth MRI funds critical minerals projects in Illinois

Oct 1, 2020 10:15 am

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Association of American State Geologists will provide $106,978 in funding for critical minerals projects in Illinois. As part of this effort, the Illinois State Geological Survey will perform geochemical analyses for regions all over Illinois and adjoining states.

Decades of mapping data builds highest resolution of earthquake risk yet

Jul 10, 2017 4:00 pm

Piotr Szocinski crouches in the back of a truck to load soil samples

Digging into soil data helps inform green infrastructure design

Mar 11, 2022 8:45 am

PRI geologists were part of a multidisciplinary research project aimed at helping Illinois communities add green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) to their strategies to prevent local flooding. Pilot projects focused on Calumet City and Midlothian.

Yu-Feng Lin on a tour of the University of Illinois Energy Farm

ISGS receives $720,000 award from DOE for geothermal research

Oct 23, 2017 2:15 pm

The Illinois State Geological Survey received a $720,000 grant from the Department of Energy to determine the feasibility of tapping geothermal energy for heating and cooling on the University of Illinois’ Urbana campus.

Carbon capture and storage project with ADM concludes

May 19, 2021 2:15 pm

On May 19, 2021, ADM and the University of Illinois announced the successful completion of the Illinois Basin - Decatur Project, a carbon capture and storage project designed to evaluate and test the technology at commercial scale.

Petroleum Experts renews software grant to ISGS

Dec 16, 2021 2:15 pm

Petroleum Experts has renewed through December 2022 a grant of a set of software packages to the Illinois State Geological Survey and Department of Geology to use in research and education. This software enhances the ISGS capabilities in subsurface interpretation. The yearly value of this grant is more than $2.5 million.

Geological Survey assists state agencies with COVID-19 data

May 1, 2020 12:00 pm

Aerial view of fully installed submerged rubble ridges

Underwater innovation at Illinois Beach State Park to help mitigate coastal erosion

Feb 18, 2022 4:00 pm

This past summer, with funding from the EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a US Army Corps of Engineers crane carefully placed over 10,000 tons of stone five hundred feet offshore of Illinois Beach State Park (ISBP) and Hosah Park, a Zion Park District property wedged between the north and south units of IBSP. These stones form three “rubble ridges” that are intended to work in concert to lessen storm waves and protect the eroding beach and unique terrestrial ecosystem in the dunes while preserving views and enhancing fish habitat.

ISGS researcher Joe Devera to participate in natural resources event for 30th year

Apr 12, 2019 1:15 pm

Each April in southern Illinois, students in grades K-6 participate in Stewardship Week, an outdoor education event. This year, just like every year for the past 30, Joe Devera, senior paleontologist at the Illinois State Geological Survey, will be back to share his knowledge and love of fossils with inquiring young minds.

Yu-Feng Lin named director of Illinois Water Resources Center

Feb 13, 2018 2:15 pm

Yu-Feng Lin, a hydrogeologist at the Illinois State Geological Survey, is the new director of the Illinois Water Resource Center, which addresses the state’s water resources challenges through research and education.

ISGS drills Christian County well to investigate potential for carbon dioxide storage

Dec 18, 2018 1:45 pm

On Dec. 3 the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) completed drilling the T.R. McMillen #2 well in Christian County, Illinois, as part of its CarbonSAFE Illinois program. Preliminary results indicate the Mt. Simon Sandstone at this location is suitable for a commercial-scale CO₂ storage site.

Study finds aggregate industry shifting focus, still a stalwart in state economy

Jul 25, 2016 10:30 am

ISGS provides high-resolution digital elevation data for all 102 Illinois counties

Jun 27, 2019 1:00 pm

For the first time, high-resolution digital elevation data that are essential for planning by local, state, and federal agencies are available online for all Illinois counties.

Flights to image 3D geology in Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana

Oct 3, 2019 12:45 pm

Scientists with the Illinois State Geological Survey are partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Geological Surveys of Kentucky and Indiana to image geology using airborne geophysical technology as part of the USGS Earth Mapping Resource Initiative.

Diagram of the biphasic carbon dioxide absorption technology

DOE award received to develop and scale up carbon capture technology

May 7, 2018 2:15 pm

A biphasic CO2 absorption (BiCAP) technology developed at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) has been selected for development and bench-scale testing by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a transformation technology for post-combustion carbon capture.

DOE awards $17.7 million to PRI for carbon storage site assessment

May 18, 2023 1:00 pm

Illinois State Geological Survey at the Prairie Research Institute has received an award of $17.7 Million as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) effort to support the development of new and expanded large-scale, commercial carbon storage projects with capacities to securely store 50 or more million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂). It is one nine projects for a total investment of $242M from DOE.

Walt Kelly, Zohreh Askari, and Sam Panno

PRI researchers gain new insights into how groundwater flows within the Illinois Basin

Sep 15, 2017 3:00 pm

A conceptual model of water movement in rock layers many feet underground, published by Prairie Research Institute scientists, shows for the first time that water is flowing steadily south through the thick sequence of rock layers that form the Illinois Basin.

UIUC’S largest geothermal system goes online

Apr 29, 2021 3:30 pm

The largest geothermal energy system implemented at the university so far went online in April, at the Campus Instructional Facility (CIF) ahead of its opening this coming fall. The CIF geothermal system was designed using data acquired and analyzed from a nearby geothermal monitoring well installed by the Illinois State Geological Survey and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

PRI research targets coastal resilience and water planning challenges

Jul 29, 2024 8:00 am

PRI scientists are investigating how artificial reef complexes can stabilize shorelines and developing strategies to address water sustainability challenges and future water planning. These efforts aim to provide critical insights that will inform decision-making and improve environmental management in the southern Lake Michigan region.

Petroleum Experts donates software to ISGS

Jun 25, 2024 5:00 pm

Petroleum Experts has renewed through December 2024 a grant of the full set of software modules of MOVE and IPM suites to the Illinois State Geological Survey and Department of Earth Science and Environmental Change to use in research and education. This software enhances ISGS capabilities in subsurface interpretation and reservoir simulation.

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 committee in the Kimu village in the Zomba district of Malawi

ISGS retiree develops water resources partnership in Malawi

Dec 21, 2021 9:15 am

Tim Larson, a retired geoscientist from the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), brought his four decades of experience in locating groundwater in Illinois to connect people in four African villages to fresh water.

a hand clad in a purple latex glove holds a small snake against a grassy backdrop

PRI offers applied science internships for summer 2022

Jan 28, 2022 8:00 am

PRI is offering hands-on summer internships that will enable undergraduate students from populations underrepresented in graduate study at Illinois to explore careers in applied science. There are opportunities in atmospheric science and climate; biology, ecology, and environmental science; geology; sustainable energy; and water supply and safety. To see all of the internship options and to apply, visit https://go.illinois.edu/PRI-interns

International testing validates accuracy of Stable Isotope Lab analyses

May 11, 2021 10:00 am

The Illinois State Geological Survey’s stable isotope laboratory recently passed a standards proficiency test overseen by the International Atomic Energy Association.

ISGS data inform siting decisions for energy companies in Illinois

Feb 7, 2022 8:45 am

Green energy companies seeking sites for windfarm and solar power plant development in Illinois are targeting industrially zoned settings, such as land around active and abandoned coal mines and oil fields. When considering siting decisions, companies can rely on the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) to provide extensive databases and maps on the state’s geologic and mine information to save potential trouble with collapsed land.

Illinois researchers receive funding to explore hydrogen storage

Jul 10, 2024 10:15 am

bp-International Centre for Advanced Materials recently awarded funding for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers affiliated with the Prairie Research Institute for investigations into subsurface hydrogen storage to accelerate sustainable energy transformation.

United States Military Academy in West Point, New York

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.

Initial results show Mt. Simon Sandstone in Macon County is suited to carbon storage

Feb 26, 2019 11:00 am

Preliminary results from a stratigraphic characterization well drilled in December 2018 by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) and collaborators near Mt. Auburn, Illinois, indicate that the Mt. Simon Sandstone at this location has excellent reservoir characteristics for storage of CO₂. The T. R. McMillen #2 well is part of the CarbonSAFE Illinois–Macon County project, which is intended to establish the feasibility of storage of 50 million tonnes or more of CO₂.

Jo Daviess County alfalfa crop pattern in 2012

Database reveals locations of sinkholes, crevices, and mines in Jo Daviess County

May 18, 2023 8:45 am

A new database compiling information from a decade of Prairie Research Institute (PRI) studies on the unique geology and hydrology of Jo Daviess County is designed to help residents and officials understand the karst features of the land where they live and to better protect their water supply from surface contamination.

PRI leads campus collaboration with ORNL geothermal energy technology

Mar 20, 2023 8:00 am

The Prairie Research Institute (PRI), Student Sustainability Committee (SSC), Facilities & Services (F&S), Illinois Water Resources Center (IWRC), Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE), the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES), and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) gathered on Feb. 27, 2023, to break ground on installing an underground thermal battery (UTB) at the Energy Farm in Urbana, IL.

DOE funds Illinois rare earth project to reclaim mine waste, boost U.S. clean tech leadership

Oct 7, 2024 8:00 am

The IRENES project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, is advancing the recovery of critical minerals from coal mine waste to strengthen U.S. energy security. By developing a domestic supply of these essential materials, the project reduces reliance on foreign sources, supports clean technology innovations, and drives economic growth in underserved regions. It offers a practical solution to pressing energy and environmental challenges, making it a strategic investment for sustainable growth.

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