Drought in Buena Vista County, IA: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Buena Vista County, IA: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (46 wk), 2003 (17 wk), 2011 (13 wk), 2012 (45 wk), 2013 (34 wk), 2014 (17 wk), 2020 (24 wk), 2021 (43 wk), 2022 (42 wk), 2023 (43 wk), 2024 (15 wk) and 2025 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018 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 Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (3.8 in 10).

Against the rest of IA

6th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Monroe County (5 in 10) and Davis County (4.6 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (38% of weeks), then Aug (38%) and Sep (33%). Least in Jun (17%). May to September averages 28%.

26 Jan
25 Feb
31 Mar
28 Apr
25 May
17 Jun
28 Jul
38 Aug
33 Sep
38 Oct
31 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 28.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 15.2% at D2, 3.9% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 85 weeks, Mar 15, 2022 to Oct 24, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 8 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.