Drought in Haakon County, SD: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Haakon County, SD: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (29 wk), 2003 (49 wk), 2004 (43 wk), 2005 (19 wk), 2006 (52 wk), 2007 (29 wk), 2012 (30 wk), 2013 (32 wk), 2017 (30 wk), 2018 (35 wk), 2021 (49 wk), 2022 (44 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2023.

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

Against the rest of SD

15th most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Lawrence County (5.4 in 10) and Mellette County (5.4 in 10). Driest in SD: Jackson County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Clark County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (44% of weeks), then Oct (41%) and Aug (40%). Least in Jan (31%). May to September averages 35%.

31 Jan
35 Feb
39 Mar
44 Apr
32 May
33 Jun
36 Jul
40 Aug
36 Sep
41 Oct
38 Nov
35 Dec

The worst year: 2006

2006: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 36.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 20.3% at D2, 7.6% at D3, 39 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 83 weeks, Jan 26, 2021 to Aug 23, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 20 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.