Soil moisture levels decline slightly in Illinois

[July 23, 2013]  CHAMPAIGN -- Soil moisture levels at depths of 2 inches declined an average of 15 percent from June, according to Jennie Atkins, manager of the Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring program at the Prairie Research Institute, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

On July 15, soil moisture levels at 2 inches averaged 0.24 water fraction by volume, or wfv, across Illinois, a decline of 15 percent from June 15^.  Moisture levels were higher at deeper depths, with statewide averages of 0.36 wfv at 20 inches and 0.44 wfv at 39 inches, exhibiting no significant change from June.

Levels were greater in southern Illinois, with an average of 0.33 wfv at 2 inches.  However, the more localized nature of summer precipitation resulted in soil moisture at the 2-inch depth varying greatly in the area, ranging from 0.17 wfv in Carbondale to 0.36 wfv at Rend Lake.

Soil temperatures averaged 82.9 degrees at 4 inches under bare soil, an increase of 7.5 degrees from June.

The Illinois State Water Survey's WARM program collects hourly and daily weather and soil information at 19 stations across the state. Daily and monthly summaries are available on the WARM website and in the Illinois Water and Climate Summary. 

Maps of soil temperatures and moisture levels are also available on the WARM website.

[Text from file received from the Illinois State Water Survey]