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| Illinois Water Cycle |
| Illinois State Water Survey |
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| Fig. 1 The Water (Hydrologic) Cycle enlarge |
The water cycle depicts water moving through the atmosphere and on and under the surface of the earth. Another term for the water cycle is hydrologic cycle. Water moves
- downward as precipitation, into the soil and through the unsaturated zone as infiltration, and through
the saturated zone to shallow and deep aquifers as recharge;
- laterally on the surface as surface runoff to lakes, wetlands, streams, and rivers and underground as groundwater flow;
- upward as evapotranspiration from lakes, wetlands, streams, and rivers, plants, soil, and groundwater, and as
groundwater discharge to surface waters; and
- laterally aloft as atmospheric moisture, where condensation forms clouds.
Arrows depict movements in the water (hydrologic) cycle.
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| The Water Budget for Illinois enlarge |
This depiction shows water moving through the water cycle in Illinois and is based on 30-year (1971-2000) averages calculated by Illinois
State Water Survey scientists. Values are in billions of gallons of water per day (BGD) and include: atmospheric moisture passing
overhead (2000 BGD), precipitation (104 BGD), evapotranspiration (73 BGD), surface water flow (31 BGD), and groundwater
recharge (11.6 BGD, of which 11.5 BGD is returned as groundwater discharge to surface streams). Additional
surface water flows into Illinois from rivers in Indiana and Wisconsin, and water is imported into Illinois through the diversion from Lake Michigan at Chicago. Much of the water in the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash
Rivers originates upstream of Illinois.
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Further Resources:
Except where indicated, all photos and graphics have been taken/produced by Water Survey staff.
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Last Modified: July 25, 2008
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