DES MOINES—A small patch of Iowa is abnormally dry for this time of year, according to the National Drought Monitor, with the rest of the state in a normal range.
The dry area in south central Iowa covers about 15 percent of the state. This is the first indication of dryness in Iowa since December 2015.
Temperatures across Iowa have averaged slightly higher than normal since the beginning of April, while precipitation has been greater than usual over the western one-third of Iowa and below normal in the rest of the state.
Streamflow conditions remain above normal for approximately half of the state. Streams in northwest Iowa, along with portions of the Iowa and West Fork Cedar rivers in north central Iowa, have streamflows much above normal.
For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.
The report is prepared by the technical staff from the Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with The Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department and the National Weather Service.