If You’re In Illinois You Might See Something Weird Overhead

If you live in Illinois and happen to look up at the skies in the next few weeks, you might see something a little out of the ordinary. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is planning to fly a helicopter over the Illinois River to collect information about the water that is underground.

Basically, they want to know more about what's happening below the surface of the river and the surrounding area.

"Is that a giant hula-hoop?"

Basically, they want to know more about what's happening below the surface of the river and the surrounding area, in Central Illinois. The helicopter will be towing a big sensor that looks like a giant hula-hoop, kind of... if you have something in your eye.

This sensor will be used to measure small signals that come from underground. These signals can be used to make a map of what's under the ground. The flights will happen a few hundred feet above the ground and won't be over any populated areas.

The information collected by the helicopter will be used to help the USGS understand more about the water in the area. This will be important for things like farming, drinking water, and recreation. The flights will be done by a company called SkyTEM and will last for about a month.

It's hard to say exactly when the flights will be happening, but the USGS says that the flights will start on or around January 24th. Weather, wind, or visibility might cause a delay in progress. For example, if it's too windy or cloudy, the pilots might not be able to fly safely.

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If you're curious about the progress of these flights, you can check out the USGS website to see the planned flight paths and updates on when they will be happening. This way you will know when to look up to the sky and see the helicopter flying over the Illinois River.