Drought in Lyman County, SD: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Lyman County, SD: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (28 wk), 2003 (45 wk), 2004 (37 wk), 2005 (13 wk), 2006 (32 wk), 2007 (17 wk), 2012 (25 wk), 2013 (25 wk), 2017 (17 wk), 2021 (40 wk), 2022 (26 wk) and 2025 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2018 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 Aug peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of SD

23rd most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Campbell County (5 in 10) and Hughes County (4.6 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 Aug (32% of weeks), then Mar (29%) and Apr (28%). Least in Jan (22%). May to September averages 27%.

22 Jan
24 Feb
29 Mar
28 Apr
23 May
28 Jun
28 Jul
32 Aug
27 Sep
28 Oct
27 Nov
26 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 45 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 26.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 15.8% at D2, 3.7% at D3, 33 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 57 weeks, Aug 19, 2003 to Sep 14, 2004.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 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.