Drought in Union County, IA: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Union County, IA: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (43 wk), 2003 (39 wk), 2005 (14 wk), 2006 (27 wk), 2012 (24 wk), 2013 (35 wk), 2014 (18 wk), 2022 (14 wk), 2023 (25 wk) and 2024 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020 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 Jan peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of IA

54th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Marshall County (3.8 in 10) and Hamilton County (3.8 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jan (29% of weeks), then Oct (29%) and Nov (25%). Least in May (6%). May to September averages 15%.

29 Jan
23 Feb
20 Mar
22 Apr
6 May
10 Jun
13 Jul
24 Aug
24 Sep
29 Oct
25 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 43 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.9% at D2, 0.8% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 40 weeks, Jul 17, 2012 to Apr 16, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.