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

3.8 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (48 wk), 2003 (42 wk), 2005 (16 wk), 2006 (20 wk), 2012 (24 wk), 2013 (30 wk), 2020 (19 wk), 2022 (18 wk), 2023 (52 wk) and 2024 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 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 Jan peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of IA

42nd most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Palo Alto County (3.8 in 10) and Humboldt 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 (33% of weeks), then Oct (29%) and Nov (29%). Least in Jun (12%). May to September averages 20%.

33 Jan
26 Feb
22 Mar
27 Apr
13 May
12 Jun
21 Jul
24 Aug
28 Sep
29 Oct
29 Nov
27 Dec

The worst year: 2023

2023: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 24.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.2% at D2, 1.7% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 85 weeks, Sep 20, 2022 to Apr 30, 2024.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.