Drought in Saguache County, CO: 6.2 years in 10 since 2000

6.2 years in 10

Saguache County, CO: 16 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (48 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (25 wk), 2006 (32 wk), 2011 (35 wk), 2012 (49 wk), 2013 (38 wk), 2015 (14 wk), 2018 (51 wk), 2019 (25 wk), 2020 (52 wk), 2021 (31 wk), 2022 (30 wk), 2023 (14 wk), 2024 (14 wk) and 2025 (22 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

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 May peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (8 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (5 in 10).

Against the rest of CO

14th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Alamosa County (6.2 in 10) and Moffat County (5.8 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 May (50% of weeks), then Apr (49%) and Mar (46%). Least in Sep (34%). May to September averages 41%.

37 Jan
46 Feb
46 Mar
49 Apr
50 May
44 Jun
43 Jul
35 Aug
34 Sep
35 Oct
34 Nov
36 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 40.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 25.1% at D2, 9.8% at D3, 64 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 125 weeks, Feb 5, 2002 to Jun 22, 2004.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 22 weeks. 2016-2025: 8 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 33 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.