Drought in Lander County, NV: 6.2 years in 10 since 2000

6.2 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (30 wk), 2002 (51 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2005 (15 wk), 2007 (40 wk), 2008 (38 wk), 2009 (15 wk), 2012 (49 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (52 wk), 2016 (21 wk), 2020 (40 wk), 2021 (52 wk) and 2022 (52 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2006, 2011, 2017 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 Mar peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of NV

13th most drought-prone of 17 NV counties; the NV middle is 6.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Esmeralda County (6.2 in 10) and Eureka County (6.2 in 10). Driest in NV: Nye County (8.1 in 10). Least drought: Douglas County (5.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (60% of weeks), then Feb (58%) and Sep (55%). Least in May (49%). May to September averages 51%.

53 Jan
58 Feb
60 Mar
53 Apr
49 May
51 Jun
51 Jul
50 Aug
55 Sep
51 Oct
50 Nov
54 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 52.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 41.5% at D2, 19.8% at D3, 137 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 227 weeks, Jan 24, 2012 to May 24, 2016.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 52 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 7.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 34 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.