Drought in Adams County, CO: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

Adams County, CO: 13 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (48 wk), 2003 (25 wk), 2004 (30 wk), 2006 (35 wk), 2010 (14 wk), 2011 (20 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (37 wk), 2018 (18 wk), 2020 (24 wk), 2021 (31 wk), 2022 (48 wk) and 2023 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2025.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Mar peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of CO

45th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Douglas County (5 in 10) and Boulder County (5 in 10). Driest in CO: Otero County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Grand County (3.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (38% of weeks), then Aug (37%) and Apr (36%). Least in Jun (24%). May to September averages 31%.

25 Jan
35 Feb
38 Mar
36 Apr
28 May
24 Jun
31 Jul
37 Aug
33 Sep
34 Oct
30 Nov
25 Dec

The worst year: 2022

2022: 48 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 31.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 16.4% at D2, 4.4% at D3, 6 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 67 weeks, Feb 5, 2002 to May 13, 2003.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 40 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.