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Why you might see a helicopter flying over the Illinois River this month

Central Illinoisans with their eyes on the skies might see an unusual sight beginning this week.

The U.S. Geological Survey will start sending out a helicopter towing a large hoop to make low-level flights over the Illinois River Basin as part of ongoing groundwater studies.

A low-flying helicopter towing a geophysical device collects scientific data for salinity and aquifer mapping.
A low-flying helicopter towing a geophysical device collects scientific data for salinity and aquifer mapping.

The flights will begin on or around Jan. 24 and last three to four weeks. The helicopter will collect geophysical measurements as part of the USGS' Next Generation Water Observing System. The copter will fly relatively low to the ground, a few hundred feet above the surface. A sensor that resembles a large Hula-Hoop will be towed beneath to measure tiny electromagnetic signals that can be used to map underground features.

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Surveys will not occur directly above populated areas. The helicopter system will only be visible from any particular location for a short time. Planned flight paths and survey progress can be found at arcgis.com.

This map shows the airborne geophysical survey area and planned flight paths across the Illinois River Basin in Illinois and northwest Indiana.
This map shows the airborne geophysical survey area and planned flight paths across the Illinois River Basin in Illinois and northwest Indiana.

The survey will be conducted by SkyTEM, a specialty airborne geophysical company, through a USGS contract with Woolpert. The helicopter will be operated by pilots from LiveWire Aviation who are specially trained for the low-level flying required for geophysical surveys.

Predicting exactly when a flight may be visible is "tricky," said Burke Minsley, a research geophysicist with the USGS based in Denver. Inclement weather, high winds or low visibility could delay progress.

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Once the flights begin in the northeastern part of the basin, they could reach the Peoria area in as little as a week under ideal conditions.

Minsley suggests tracking the flights' progress at the arcgis.com site.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: U.S. Geological Survey sends helicopter flights over Illinois River