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August 17, 2025 Soil Moisture, Condition Monitoring and Drought Update

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August 17, 2025 Soil Moisture, Condition Monitoring and Drought Update

Aug 17, 2025
us drought monitor map

US Drought Monitor

Widespread dry and drought conditions in the western US. Widespread areas of  scattered dry and drought conditions in the east, including parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Mildly dry conditions at Cheviot OH 3.4W with a significant increase in short term drought and a need to water.

Condition Monitoring Report  
Station Number: OH-HM-24
Station Name: Cheviot 3.4 W
Report Date: 8/17/2025
Submitted: 8/17/2025 2:47 PM
Scale Bar: Mildly Dry
Description:
0.32 inch of rain in the past week, and in the first 17 days of August, accompanied by 8 of the first 16 days 
at 90 or higher. Rapid drying rates have led to rapid onset of short term drought conditions with very dry
upper layers of the soil. Lawns are browning and many plants are stressing and some are wilting. Trees and
established vegetation remain fairly green and lush but some leaf discoloration is noted and even early leaf
fall from hackberries and black locust. Rainfall has varied around the area with some spots getting repeated
downpours, but not here. Very dry.
Categories: General Awareness
Agriculture
Plants & Wildlife
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
Photos
Hail Obs Photo
Hail Obs Photo
Hail Obs Photo

Other Drought links:

Please remember to water…correctly!

Water once per week, one inch per week, under the entire branch spread, in the absence of rain, May through November. Either rainfall or your watering should equal the one inch per week. Do not water if the soil is already moist. Put out a sprinkler and a straight sided soup can or rain gauge and measure one inch per week. Measure the rainfall which falls in your yard. Your trees don’t care what fell at the airport!

If burlap was left on new trees, it will repel water and the tree or shrub may die. Be sure burlap and twine are removed from the top of all root balls. If your landscaper disagrees, refer him or her to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) industry standard for installation of landscape plants.

To the extent possible recycle fallen leaves back into the soil around the trees and maintain mulch around the trees to a radius of at least 3-5 feet. Keep mulch off trunks. Use a coarse textured mulch. Avoid triple shredded mulch. Aged arborist wood chips ( https://getchipdrop.com/ ), mulched and composted leaves, pine bark, and pine straw are all good. Very finely ground mulches such as triple ground hardwood mulch are not beneficial and may inhibit moisture and oxygen exchange.

Drought: How Dry Seasons Affect Woody Plants>>>

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