Drought in Des Moines County, IA: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Des Moines County, IA: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2003 (28 wk), 2005 (27 wk), 2006 (35 wk), 2011 (14 wk), 2012 (25 wk), 2013 (29 wk), 2018 (14 wk) and 2023 (30 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2021 and 2022.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Oct, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of IA

64th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Lee County (3.5 in 10) and Osceola County (3.5 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 (31% of weeks), then Sep (28%) and Aug (26%). Least in May (4%). May to September averages 17%.

25 Jan
23 Feb
15 Mar
9 Apr
4 May
10 Jun
18 Jul
26 Aug
28 Sep
31 Oct
26 Nov
26 Dec

The worst year: 2006

2006: 35 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 7.2% at D2, 2.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 41 weeks, Jun 28, 2005 to Apr 4, 2006.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 30 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 8 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.