Wet soil conditions continue throughout Illinois

[July 17, 2015]  CHAMPAIGN - Soil conditions throughout Illinois remain wet as most of the state experienced higher than normal rainfall in the first two weeks of July, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

Rainfall across the Illinois Climate Network averaged 3.36 inches the first two weeks of July, only 0.03 inches below the long-term average for July. Three of the network’s stations – Dixon Springs (Pope County), Monmouth (Warren County), and Stelle (Ford County) – measured totals over 5 inches.

Soil moisture levels remain high with a state average of 0.37 water fraction by volume (wfv) at depths of 2 inches on July 14, 48 percent higher than the long-term average. Levels are at or above field capacity at most sites measured as levels at 2 inches ranged from 0.41 wfv in the east central region to 0.35 wfv in west central Illinois.

Soil moisture is higher than normal also at the 4- to 20-inch depths as measurements were 32 to 24 percent above normal for mid-July. Levels remained high at the 39- and 59-inch depths, averaging 0.46 and 0.45 wfv, respectively.

Soil temperatures at 4 inches under bare soil averaged 82.8 degrees F in Illinois on July 14, 5.0 degrees above the long-term average.

Temperatures ranged from a high of 101.3 degrees F in the sandy soils at Kilbourne in Mason County to 71.6 degrees F at St. Charles in Kane County.

Temperatures under sod were also slightly higher than normal with averages of 79.9 and 78.2 degrees F at depths of 4 and 8 inches, respectively.

The Illinois State Water Survey’s WARM Program collects hourly and daily weather and soil information at 19 stations across the state. Hourly, daily, and monthly data can be found at the WARM website (http://www.isws.illinois. edu/warm/) and in the Illinois Water and Climate Summary (http://www.isws.illinois.edu/warm /climate.asp).

[Lisa Sheppard, Illinois Water Survey]