DES MOINES — Iowa’s July precipitation was 3.75 inches, 1.51 inches below normal for the month, according to the latest Water Summary Update. Some locations in southern Iowa had July rainfall of four inches less than normal.

An area of extreme drought returned to Iowa for the first time since August 2021, and drought conditions were deteriorating as the month ended. Streamflow, groundwater and soil moisture conditions are below normal in parts of Iowa.

"July was the fourth below normal rainfall month in a row, and the sixth month this year that was drier than normal. We are seeing a continued deterioration of conditions across northwest Iowa, as well as the introduction of drought conditions across a large area of southern Iowa,” said Tim Hall, DNR’s coordinator of hydrology resources. “July is normally a fairly wet month, but the expected rainfall did not occur in much of the state.”

For a thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

The report is prepared by technical staff from Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.