The drought that began back in June 2005 continued through January 2006 and into February 2006.  Being the middle of winter the affects of the drought were essentially hydrologic in nature.  A summary of the conditions for January 2006 is given by the service hydrologist.Total precipitation for the month was 2.10 inches or 0.80 inches above normal and 161% of normal.  Monthly totals and departures varied widely by location.  For example, in Burlington, Iowa, the monthly total was 2.73 inches or 1.42 inches above normal and 208% of normal.  In the other hand, in Dubuque, Iowa, the monthly total was 1.32 inches or 0.04 inches above normal and 103% of normal.  Precipitation for most of the month was light to moderate.  The exception was toward the end of the month when a storm system brought significant rainfall amounts to the HSA from the 28th-30th.  Precipitation totals ranged from around 1 inch in the west to over 2 inches in the east.  Because of the warm temperatures, most of the precipitation fell as rain.  The majority of the rain fell on the 28th over a 24-hour period.  Because most of the ground was unfrozen, the majority of this rainfall soaked into the soil, easing the drought.Another storm system brought low to moderate precipitation amounts to the HSA on the 2nd.  Again, because of the warm temperatures, the precipitation fell as rain.  Amounts were greatest on the Iowa and Missouri side of the Mississippi River.  Totals of 0.5 to 1.0 inches were common there.  On the Illinois side, amounts of less than 0.5 inches were common.River ConditionsStream flows began the month with most locations reporting near normal (25th to 74th percentile) conditions.  A few locations reported above normal (76th to 90th percentile) conditions and a few locations reported below normal (10th to 24th percentile) conditions.  The precipitation event on the 2nd resulted in increases in stream flows especially in Iowa and Missouri.  Stream flows went to above to much above normal (greater than 90th percentile) there, but were below to much below normal (less than 10th percentile) across Illinois.  These conditions persisted through the 15th.After the 15th stream flows across the entire HSA gradually became near to below normal.  The flows remained this way until the 28th when significant liquid precipitation fell across the entire HSA.  In response to this precipitation, stream flows became above to much above normal.  Flows gradually decreased and at the end of the month they were normal to above normal.Source: U.S. Geological Survey.  Their WaterWatch Web site has an animation of daily flow percentiles for the United States (http://water.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/waterwatch_animation?200601).DroughtFor the entire HSA, the three-month precipitation total is 5.76 inches or 0.04 inches above normal and 101% of normal.  The six-month precipitation total is 12.30 inches or 3.69 inches below normal and 77% of normal.  The 12-month precipitation total is 23.95 inches or 12.28 inches below normal and 66% of normal.According to the U.S. Drought Monitor maps (http://drought.unl.edu/dm/), the drought conditions for the HSA did not change much during the month.  The eastern two-thirds of the HSA were in the Extreme Drought (D3) category.  The western one-third of the HSA was in the Severe Drought (D2) or Moderate Drought (D1) category.

Drought in MERCER, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in PUTNAM, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in BUREAU, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in CARROLL, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in HANCOCK, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in HENDERSON, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in HENRY, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in JO DAVIESS, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in MCDONOUGH, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in STEPHENSON, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in WARREN, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY

Drought in WHITESIDE, ILLINOIS
From 01-JAN-06 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-06 23:59:00 (CST)
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY