Soil Moisture in Iowa
Across 3 monitoring stations in Iowa, 2 are about normal, and 1 is drier than normal. Last updated July 18, 2026.
How This Is Measured
Every reading here is measured by an in-ground sensor at USDA SCAN (Soil Climate Analysis Network) and NOAA USCRN (US Climate Reference Network) stations, at or near the 2-inch root-zone depth, not modeled. A raw moisture percentage is not comparable between two soils, so each station is compared against its own history for the date. That comparison, wetter or drier than this station normally is, is the honest signal.
Stations Measuring Soil Moisture in Iowa (3)
| Station | Depth | Moisture | vs. Normal | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | 2" | 23% | Normal for this time of year | 2026-07-18 |
| Des Moines 17 E | 2" | 25% | Normal for this time of year | 2026-07-18 |
| Shagbark Hills | 2" | 22% | Drier than normal | 2026-07-18 |
Moisture is the volumetric water content at the sensor. It is not comparable between soils, which is why the “vs. normal” comparison against each station’s own history is the reading to trust. A dash means that station does not yet have enough of its own history for a confident comparison.
Cities in Iowa (24)
Open a city for its nearest station’s current soil moisture and temperature, planting windows, and lawn-care timing.
| City | ZIP |
|---|---|
| Amana | 52203 |
| Ames | 50010 |
| Ankeny | 50021 |
| Bloomfield | 52537 |
| Boone | 50036 |
| Cedar Falls | 50613 |
| Cedar Rapids | 52401 |
| Clarion | 50525 |
| Clinton | 52732 |
| Council Bluffs | 51501 |
| Davenport | 52801 |
| Des Moines | 50301 |
| Dubuque | 52001 |
| Fairfield | 52556 |
| Harlan | 51537 |
| Iowa City | 52240 |
| Mason City | 50401 |
| Melcher-dallas | 50062 |
| Red Oak | 51566 |
| Shenandoah | 51601 |
| Sioux City | 51101 |
| Urbandale | 50322 |
| Waterloo | 50701 |
| West Des Moines | 50265 |
Soil Moisture FAQ for Iowa
How wet is the soil in Iowa right now?
Across 3 monitoring stations in Iowa, 2 are about normal, and 1 is drier than normal. Last updated July 18, 2026. Each station is compared against its own moisture history for the date, so the reading means the same thing everywhere.
Where does Iowa soil moisture data come from?
Every value is measured by an in-ground sensor, not estimated from a weather model. Readings come from the USDA SCAN network and NOAA USCRN stations, at or near the 2-inch root-zone depth (some stations report at the nearest available depth), and are refreshed daily.
What does wetter or drier than normal mean?
For each station, the current reading is compared against that station's own readings around this date across several years, after leaving out frozen-soil days. A raw moisture percentage is not comparable between two different soils, so the comparison against a station's own history is what makes the reading meaningful.
See the national soil moisture map, the full Iowa soil temperature directory (all depths), or the live national soil temperature map.