Drought in Jones County, SD: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

Jones County, SD: 13 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 (39 wk), 2005 (19 wk), 2006 (52 wk), 2007 (17 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (31 wk), 2017 (25 wk), 2018 (15 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (33 wk) and 2025 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2019 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 Mar peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of SD

17th most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Mellette County (5.4 in 10) and Stanley County (5 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 Mar (40% of weeks), then Apr (39%) and Dec (37%). Least in Oct (24%). May to September averages 28%.

33 Jan
35 Feb
40 Mar
39 Apr
28 May
28 Jun
30 Jul
32 Aug
25 Sep
24 Oct
35 Nov
37 Dec

The worst year: 2006

2006: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 32% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 16.3% at D2, 6.7% at D3, 34 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 83 weeks, Dec 1, 2020 to Jun 28, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 11 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.