Drought in Clark County, ID: 6.2 years in 10 since 2000

6.2 years in 10

Clark County, ID: 16 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (46 wk), 2002 (53 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2005 (52 wk), 2007 (33 wk), 2008 (15 wk), 2010 (25 wk), 2012 (19 wk), 2013 (40 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (52 wk), 2016 (14 wk), 2021 (49 wk), 2022 (41 wk) and 2025 (36 wk). Not a single drought week in 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2024.

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

Against the rest of ID

10th most drought-prone of 44 ID counties; the ID middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Twin Falls County (6.2 in 10) and Butte County (6.2 in 10). Driest in ID: Blaine County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Kootenai County (4.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (56% of weeks), then Sep (55%) and Feb (55%). Least in Apr (41%). May to September averages 48%.

51 Jan
55 Feb
48 Mar
41 Apr
45 May
49 Jun
45 Jul
45 Aug
55 Sep
55 Oct
53 Nov
56 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 49.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 30.7% at D2, 13.6% at D3, 101 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 255 weeks, Feb 13, 2001 to Dec 27, 2005.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 36 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 7.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.