Originally published in April 2019 in Vol. 2, Issue 1 of Earthworks newsletter.
Figure showing a strong upward trend in Northeast Illinois summer precipitation. (Illinois State Water Survey)
April showers bring May flowers! As you may have noticed there has been an increase of rainfall in Northeast Illinois. In fact, according to the Illinois State Water Survey “precipitation in Northeast Illinois has increased by 10% in the last century, with extreme precipitation events increasing by as much as 40%.” Most of that increase in precipitation is during the rainiest part of the year…summer.
Since most stormwater issues occur in urban areas due to a lack of permeable surfaces and the rainy season quickly approaching, spring is a crucial time to have your basins stabilized and BMPs in place!
