CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Rainfall made its way through much of Central Illinois on Tuesday evening, providing a welcome respite from the severe drought that has gripped places like Champaign County for weeks.
Trent Ford, the Illinois State climatologist, said that while any rain is good rain, it wasn’t enough to see any real change in the drought monitor.
The rainfall was sufficient to wet the top layer of soil, but since it was the heaviest rain Champaign has experienced since July, it didn’t penetrate much beyond that layer.
Rivers, including the Sangamon, are still at unusually low levels. More consistent rain would be needed to saturate the soil beyond the surface, leading to increased river flow.
According to experts at the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, the combination of the soil absorbing Tuesday’s rain and plants utilizing it meant only a minimal amount reached the river.
“We’ve observed less than an inch of total rainfall across most of the watershed for September, so it will likely take several inches of rain before we notice any significant rise in the river levels,” said Michael Daab, Deputy Executive Director of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District.
Although the Sangamon remains low, and Champaign County is still in a drought, the
farmers benefitted. The rain temporarily lowered the chances for field fires, and the moisture is helping slow how fast their crop is drying out.
