Drought in Johnson County, IA: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Johnson County, IA: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2003 (30 wk), 2005 (24 wk), 2006 (13 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (29 wk), 2014 (25 wk), 2022 (18 wk), 2023 (36 wk) and 2024 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016 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 Jan peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of IA

57th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Iowa County (3.8 in 10) and Louisa County (3.8 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 Jan (32% of weeks), then Feb (30%) and Oct (28%). Least in Jun (9%). May to September averages 14%.

32 Jan
30 Feb
26 Mar
16 Apr
9 May
9 Jun
9 Jul
14 Aug
26 Sep
28 Oct
24 Nov
25 Dec

The worst year: 2023

2023: 36 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.4% at D2, 2.6% at D3, 2 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 48 weeks, Jun 13, 2023 to May 7, 2024.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 8 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.