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DOW Home > Water Availability / Use / Rights > Water Resource Updates (updated monthly) > Monthly Water Resource Summary Monthly Water Resource Summary

August, 2013

Precipitation
August 2013 Indiana precipitation and temperature were generally below normal across the state. The statewide monthly precipitation average was about 46% of normal. The overall monthly temperature average for Indiana was 71.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 0.5 degrees below normal.

All of Indiana's nine climate divisions received below normal or much below normal precipitation for the month of August. The northeastern climate division received the highest (71.2) percentage of normal precipitation for the month, while the southwestern and south-central divisions received the lowest (24.8) percentage.

For the year to date, each of Indiana's nine climate divisions have received near normal to somewhat above normal precipitation, ranging from 94.6% for the east-central climate division to 121.5% for the north-central division. For the 2013 water year, which began October 1, 2012, total precipitation is near normal for Indiana's nine climate divisions (93.8 to 111.1%). Over the longer duration (from January 2012) none of Indiana's nine climate divisions has received above normal precipitation. For the longer duration, the ranges are from 89.3% for the south-central climate division to 95.6% for the central division.

For the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) long-term 12-month index, each of Indiana's nine climate divisions lie in either the "moderately wet"  or "near normal" categories. Both the 6-month and 3-month SPI index shows all of the climate divisions in the "near normal" category. The 1-month index shows the west-central and south-central divisions in the "extremely dry" category and the rest of the southern and central divisions are in either the "severely dry" or "moderately dry" categories.  All the northern divisions lie in the "near normal" category.

U. S. Drought Monitor
The U.S. Drought Monitor for the period ending September 3, 2013 showed moderate drought along northwestern border of the state and abnormally dry conditions for the central and north-central parts of the state, the rest of the state showed no drought conditions. The remainder of the state (64%) showed no drought conditions.

Streamflows
Mean monthly flow for eleven of the twelve monitored streams were below their historical mean monthly flow for the month of August. Muscatatuck River near Deputy had the lowest mean monthly flow with 5% of the historical mean flow for the month. The Eel River at North Manchester had the highest mean monthly flow with 210% of the historical mean flow for the month.

Lake Michigan
The Lake Michigan-Huron water level for August was the same as last month's water level and six inches above last year's water level. Comparison of August monthly mean water levels to long-term (1918-present) averages shows that Lakes Michigan-Huron water levels were about 19 inches below average. On August 29, 2013 the Michigan-Huron water level was 577.69 feet. The water level was about 12 inches above the previously lowest recorded monthly mean level for August set in 1964.

The Lake Michigan-Huron water level is forecast by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to drop one inch over the next month.

Reservoirs
The water levels in four of the eight Indiana reservoirs being monitored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were above their normal pool elevation on August 30. The normal pool deviation ranged from -0.5 feet (Cagles Mill) to 0.4 feet (J.E. Roush).

All three of the three reservoirs monitored by Citizens Water; Morse, Geist, and Eagle Creek, were below normal pool elevations as of August 30, 2013. The reservoirs' deviation from their normal pools ranged from -0.67 feet (Eagle Creek) to -0.47 feet (Geist).

Ground Water Levels
As of September 2, 2013, recent water level data are available for all of the nine wells being monitored. The water level for the observation wells is above normal for LaPorte 9 and Vigo 7; near normal for Posey 3 and Harrison 8; and below normal for Fulton 7, LaGrange 2, Morgan 4, and Randolph 3.  Clark 20 is a new observation well with no established mean monthly water level. Groundwater levels are expected to decrease through September for much of the state.

Real-time data are available for all nine observation wells. The real-time information may be accessed on the following U.S. Geological Survey website: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/in/nwis/current/?type=gw

Acknowledgments
This report has been compiled from Division of Water data and from information supplied by the following:

Precipitation data:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Midwestern Regional Climate Center

Standard Precipitation Index (SPI):
National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) and Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC)

Streamflow:
U.S. Geological Survey and State of Indiana cooperative program

Lake Michigan level data:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District 

Reservoir data:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District

Ground water level data:
U.S. Geological Survey and State of Indiana cooperative program 

Palmer Drought Severity Index:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service

Temperature data:
Indiana State Climate Office, Purdue University

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