A local area cosmogenic neutron sensor for detecting moisture within a measurement surface , the local area cosmogenic neutron sensor comprising: a standard hydrogen sensitive neutron detector positionable above the measurement surface , wherein a moderator material is positioned around at least a portion of the neutron detector to form a moderated neutron detector; a neutron shield positioned around a portion of the moderated neutron detector, whereby the neutron shield substantially covers lateral sides of the moderated neutron detector and substantially an entirety of a top of the moderated neutron detector, wherein the neutron shield is positioned to interact with cosmogenic neutrons propagating to the lateral sides or the top of the moderated neutron detector, thereby substantially blocking fast, epithermal, and thermal cosmogenic neutrons propagating to the lateral sides or the top of the moderated neutron detector from reaching the moderated neutron detector, and wherein the neutron shield is not positioned on a bottom side of the moderated neutron detector, characterized in that a thermal neutron shield positioned below the neutron detector , such that it is in a path of neutron travel between the measurement surface and the standard hydrogen sensitive neutron detector ; and a stand structure holding the moderated neutron detector and the neutron shield in a position a spaced vertical distance above the measurement surface with the bottom side of the moderated neutron detector facing the measurement surface , wherein local area cosmogenic neutrons propagating from the measurement surface below and near the moderated neutron detector travel through an air space before arriving at the thermal neutron shield , wherein environmental thermal neutrons are blocked from arriving at bottom side of the moderated neutron detector. a standard hydrogen sensitive neutron detector positionable above the measurement surface , wherein a moderator material is positioned around at least a portion of the neutron detector to form a moderated neutron detector; a neutron shield positioned around a portion of the moderated neutron detector, whereby the neutron shield substantially covers lateral sides of the moderated neutron detector and substantially an entirety of a top of the moderated neutron detector, wherein the neutron shield is positioned to interact with cosmogenic neutrons propagating to the lateral sides or the top of the moderated neutron detector, thereby substantially blocking fast, epithermal, and thermal cosmogenic neutrons propagating to the lateral sides or the top of the moderated neutron detector from reaching the moderated neutron detector, and wherein the neutron shield is not positioned on a bottom side of the moderated neutron detector, characterized in that a thermal neutron shield positioned below the neutron detector , such that it is in a path of neutron travel between the measurement surface and the standard hydrogen sensitive neutron detector ; and a stand structure holding the moderated neutron detector and the neutron shield in a position a spaced vertical distance above the measurement surface with the bottom side of the moderated neutron detector facing the measurement surface , wherein local area cosmogenic neutrons propagating from the measurement surface below and near the moderated neutron detector travel through an air space before arriving at the thermal neutron shield , wherein environmental thermal neutrons are blocked from arriving at bottom side of the moderated neutron detector. <EOS>