New data shows vast stretches of Illinois are short on water, worrying agricultural producers in the region, FarmWeekNow reported in late January. 

What's happening?

According to the United States Drought Monitor, more than 93% of Illinois was experiencing some level of drought as of January 15, with 64% facing moderate to extreme levels. At the same time last year, only about 39% of the state faced similar conditions, FarmWeekNow noted.

In central Illinois, precipitation has fallen far behind normal levels. Some areas have recorded their second-driest year on record.

"For the year, we had 25.31 inches," Sam Hudson of Corn Belt Marketing told FarmWeekNow. "That compares to [a] normal of 37.41, so about a full foot behind."

Farmers are already seeing impacts as wells run low, trees suffer, and river traffic slows. 

Heath Houck of the Montgomery County Farm Bureau told FarmWeek that the situation is unsettling. "It's pretty nerve-wracking going into it, especially for us because our topsoil is not real deep, so we count on that subsoil."

Low Mississippi River levels are also disrupting grain shipments, making it harder for producers to move crops by boat and, ultimately, make a living.

Why is the Midwest drought concerning?

The Illinois State Climatologist, a provider of state weather data, noted in September that the region's dry conditions have "intensified ongoing drought in central and southern Illinois and increased the fire and blowing dust risk." 

The intensifying drought endangers farmers' livelihoods and consumers' access to produce. Houck told FarmWeekNow that the low river levels, for example, "really [make] it hard to get our paychecks if we can't get our grain on the river and get it moved."

In a drought status update for the Midwest this past fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cited the impacts as "declining soil moisture, below-normal streamflow, negative impacts to agriculture and livestock production, lack of food and water for wildlife (which is leading to disease or death), and brown or dead lawns."

What's being done about the drought in Illinois?

Meteorologists say the coming months may bring some relief to crops and farmers, though summer rains may not fully eliminate the drought.

The U.S. Climate Resilience toolkit notes that "climate-smart practices may offset complex climate interactions in agriculture" such as the ongoing drought. These might include the deployment of drought-resilient crops, strategic water conservation, and more.

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