Drought in Republic County, KS: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

Republic County, KS: 11 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (36 wk), 2002 (25 wk), 2003 (39 wk), 2012 (30 wk), 2013 (31 wk), 2014 (28 wk), 2018 (15 wk), 2022 (16 wk), 2023 (43 wk), 2024 (40 wk) and 2025 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 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 Feb peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of KS

58th most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Sedgwick County (4.2 in 10) and Mitchell County (4.2 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 Feb (39% of weeks), then Mar (35%) and Apr (33%). Least in Aug (20%). May to September averages 23%.

33 Jan
39 Feb
35 Mar
33 Apr
24 May
26 Jun
21 Jul
20 Aug
22 Sep
22 Oct
29 Nov
28 Dec

The worst year: 2023

2023: 43 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 27.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.9% at D2, 0.8% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 61 weeks, Jun 5, 2012 to Jul 30, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 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.