Drought concerns persist

Despite recent rains, drought concerns persist across the area. Data just released Thursday by the US Drought Monitor has all of Kankakee and Will Counties, as well as 85 percent of Iroquois County in the “moderate drought” category. The map has 11 percent of Ford County, five percent of Livingston County and 28 percent of Grundy County listed as in moderate drought, with the rest of each of those counties considered just “abnormally dry” Across the state line, today’s map puts all of Newton, Jasper and Benton Counties in the “moderate drought” category. This week’s map includes data gathered through Tuesday of this week.