Illinois State Water Survey - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

State Climatologist Office for Illinois

Soil Moisture Measurements and Models in Illinois

Dr. Jim Angel, State Climatologist

The following links are to soil moisture measurements and soil moisture models. Both measurements and models have their limitations. Actual soil moisture measurements are limited to a few locations around Illinois and may represent the soil moisture conditions only at that site.

While the following soil moisture models appear to produce more detailed maps, they are limited by our knowledge of soil types and characteristics, the physics behind the movement of water through the soil, and the highly variable nature of precipitation. Probably the best way to use these models is to find areas that are consistent from model to model because, at this point, it is hard to say which model provides the best estimate of soil moisture in all situations.

Soil moisture observations:

Soil moisture models: