Drought in Placer County, CA: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (29 wk), 2004 (15 wk), 2007 (40 wk), 2008 (40 wk), 2009 (22 wk), 2012 (13 wk), 2013 (35 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (52 wk), 2016 (43 wk), 2020 (40 wk), 2021 (52 wk) and 2022 (52 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2024 and 2025.

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

21st most drought-prone of 58 CA counties; the CA middle is 4.6 in 10. Closest on the list: Sierra County (5 in 10) and Merced 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 (41% of weeks), then Jul (41%) and Aug (40%). Least in Apr (26%). May to September averages 39%.

33 Jan
30 Feb
30 Mar
26 Apr
36 May
37 Jun
41 Jul
40 Aug
41 Sep
38 Oct
37 Nov
37 Dec

The worst year: 2014

2014: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 35.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 22.4% at D2, 11.8% at D3, 114 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 182 weeks, May 7, 2013 to Oct 25, 2016.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 52 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 1 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.