Drought in Barton County, KS: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (17 wk), 2003 (24 wk), 2006 (14 wk), 2011 (35 wk), 2012 (43 wk), 2013 (35 wk), 2014 (35 wk), 2015 (16 wk), 2018 (34 wk), 2022 (52 wk), 2023 (52 wk), 2024 (41 wk) and 2025 (23 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2019.

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 May peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of KS

34th most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Pawnee County (5 in 10) and Smith County (5 in 10). Driest in KS: Morton County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Dickinson County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in May (44% of weeks), then Apr (41%) and Aug (40%). Least in Nov (29%). May to September averages 39%.

32 Jan
30 Feb
30 Mar
41 Apr
44 May
38 Jun
38 Jul
40 Aug
33 Sep
33 Oct
29 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2023

2023: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 34.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 17.4% at D2, 8.8% at D3, 50 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 108 weeks, Dec 28, 2021 to Jan 16, 2024.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 23 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 31 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.