City of Bloomington out of drought phase
Written by Jacie Hinton on April 8, 2026
Image courtesy of the City of Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The city of Bloomington is no longer in a severe drought, allowing Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake to begin recovering.
On Jan. 2, 2026, a combined lake deficit triggered the city’s entry into a moderate drought phase. Conditions worsened in February, prompting a severe drought designation. By March 20, the deficit had decreased, and the city returned to a moderate drought phase.
Bloomington City Manager Jeff Jurgens urged residents to conserve water, and the community responded by reducing usage.
“The community helped us out when we asked,” said Water Director Brett Lueschen. “We were hitting those metrics of asking for a reduction. We did see about a 5%, maybe a 7%, decrease in water usage.”
Rainfall plays a critical role in restoring lakes and reservoirs, as water from precipitation flows into those systems.
“The more rain that we get, the better off we’ll be able to keep the reservoir full,” Lueschen said.
Lueschen said it is important for residents to understand how to respond during drought conditions and continue practicing water conservation at home.
“It’s good to keep that kind of education going on so that people are prepared, especially when we do hit those metrics of asking people to conserve water,” Lueschen said.
Looking ahead, continued rainfall is expected to help replenish reservoirs and keep water sources such as Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington stable.
