Drought in Mariposa County, CA: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (17 wk), 2007 (48 wk), 2008 (34 wk), 2009 (41 wk), 2012 (48 wk), 2013 (42 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (52 wk), 2016 (52 wk), 2020 (47 wk), 2021 (52 wk) and 2022 (52 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2019 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 Sep peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of CA

25th most drought-prone of 58 CA counties; the CA middle is 4.6 in 10. Closest on the list: Colusa County (4.6 in 10) and San Luis Obispo County (4.6 in 10). Driest in CA: Imperial County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Del Norte County (3.1 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (46% of weeks), then Jul (44%) and Nov (42%). Least in May (37%). May to September averages 42%.

38 Jan
40 Feb
40 Mar
37 Apr
37 May
41 Jun
44 Jul
40 Aug
46 Sep
42 Oct
42 Nov
39 Dec

The worst year: 2014

2014: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 40.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 24.9% at D2, 17.1% at D3, 205 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 203 weeks, Mar 19, 2013 to Jan 31, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 52 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.