Drought in Pawnee County, KS: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (26 wk), 2003 (24 wk), 2006 (26 wk), 2011 (35 wk), 2012 (41 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (18 wk), 2017 (14 wk), 2018 (32 wk), 2022 (52 wk), 2023 (52 wk) and 2024 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

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 KS

33rd most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Ness County (5 in 10) and Barton County (5 in 10). Driest in KS: Morton County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Dickinson County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (42% of weeks), then Apr (41%) and May (41%). Least in Feb (29%). May to September averages 38%.

37 Jan
29 Feb
32 Mar
41 Apr
41 May
40 Jun
36 Jul
42 Aug
34 Sep
32 Oct
30 Nov
36 Dec

The worst year: 2022

2022: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 35.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 18.8% at D2, 8.8% at D3, 66 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 152 weeks, Jun 12, 2012 to May 5, 2015.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 22 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.