Drought in Ouray County, CO: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Ouray County, CO: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (46 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (47 wk), 2006 (17 wk), 2012 (33 wk), 2013 (38 wk), 2015 (16 wk), 2018 (52 wk), 2019 (24 wk), 2020 (52 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (43 wk), 2023 (21 wk) and 2025 (44 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2016.

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.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (7 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (4.4 in 10).

Against the rest of CO

27th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Delta County (5.4 in 10) and Lincoln County (5.4 in 10). Driest in CO: Otero County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Grand County (3.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (48% of weeks), then Jul (48%) and Sep (47%). Least in Jan (37%). May to September averages 46%.

37 Jan
38 Feb
43 Mar
41 Apr
42 May
46 Jun
48 Jul
48 Aug
47 Sep
43 Oct
38 Nov
39 Dec

The worst year: 2018

2018: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 42.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 25.6% at D2, 13.2% at D3, 75 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 161 weeks, Oct 1, 2019 to Oct 25, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 44 weeks. 2016-2025: 7 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 41 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.