Counties with the worst droughts in Kansas

Nearly one-third of the continental U.S. is currently experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Parts of the West are currently experiencing a brief reprieve from its driest period of the last 1,200 years, but conditions are worsening in the Northwest and Southwest.

In periods of drought, levels of major reservoirs and rivers can fall dramatically. Groundwater systems too feel the effects, and shrinking water supplies impact agriculture, hydropower generation, and wildfire risk.

Periods of drought have intensified and become more frequent in recent years due to climate change. Scientists predict that even in low emissions scenarios, much of the U.S. will be drier by the end of the century.

Reports of cattle loss in Kansas due to excessive heat

Stacker cited data from U.S. Drought Monitor to identify the counties in Kansas with the worst droughts in the week leading up to August 21, 2023. Counties are listed in order of percent of the area in drought conditions. Abnormally dry is not considered to be a drought, but is included as a separate data point. Additional data for the state overall is included. Any counties which are not experiencing drought are not included in the slideshow. Counties are listed in order of drought severity, but the list does not necessarily include every county in Kansas which is experiencing drought.

Kansas statistics

– Abnormally dry: 17.9%
– Area in drought: 65.8% (#6 nationally)
— Moderate drought: 23.6%
— Severe drought: 23.8%
— Extreme drought: 17.0%
— Exceptional drought: 1.3%

Lyon County

– Abnormally dry: 12.2%
– Area in drought: 87.8%
— Moderate drought: 18.4%
— Severe drought: 63.3%
— Extreme drought: 6.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Sedgwick County

– Abnormally dry: 8.7%
– Area in drought: 91.3%
— Moderate drought: 19.2%
— Severe drought: 47.0%
— Extreme drought: 25.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Phillips County

– Abnormally dry: 7.7%
– Area in drought: 92.3%
— Moderate drought: 81.3%
— Severe drought: 11.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Lincoln County

– Abnormally dry: 6.0%
– Area in drought: 94.0%
— Moderate drought: 16.0%
— Severe drought: 28.9%
— Extreme drought: 49.1%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Saline County

– Abnormally dry: 5.1%
– Area in drought: 94.9%
— Moderate drought: 31.0%
— Severe drought: 31.7%
— Extreme drought: 32.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Lane County

– Abnormally dry: 4.8%
– Area in drought: 95.2%
— Moderate drought: 43.3%
— Severe drought: 52.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Reno County

– Abnormally dry: 2.9%
– Area in drought: 97.1%
— Moderate drought: 17.3%
— Severe drought: 19.3%
— Extreme drought: 60.5%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Decatur County

– Abnormally dry: 2.4%
– Area in drought: 97.6%
— Moderate drought: 76.4%
— Severe drought: 21.2%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Wilson County

– Abnormally dry: 2.2%
– Area in drought: 97.8%
— Moderate drought: 41.7%
— Severe drought: 29.4%
— Extreme drought: 22.3%
— Exceptional drought: 4.4%

Sheridan County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 100.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Norton County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 97.3%
— Severe drought: 2.7%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Cloud County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 82.0%
— Severe drought: 18.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Washington County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 76.9%
— Severe drought: 23.1%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Miami County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 38.7%
— Severe drought: 61.3%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Linn County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 19.0%
— Severe drought: 81.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Hodgeman County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 1.8%
— Severe drought: 98.2%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Pawnee County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 100.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Edwards County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 100.0%
— Extreme drought: 0.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Stafford County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 98.7%
— Extreme drought: 1.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Rush County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 96.7%
— Extreme drought: 3.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Bourbon County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 38.8%
— Severe drought: 56.5%
— Extreme drought: 4.7%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Anderson County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 2.5%
— Severe drought: 91.7%
— Extreme drought: 5.8%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Trego County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 10.3%
— Severe drought: 81.7%
— Extreme drought: 8.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Barton County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 91.0%
— Extreme drought: 9.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Graham County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 53.5%
— Severe drought: 37.1%
— Extreme drought: 9.4%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Allen County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 13.5%
— Severe drought: 76.4%
— Extreme drought: 10.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Smith County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 62.4%
— Severe drought: 26.2%
— Extreme drought: 11.4%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Republic County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 23.0%
— Severe drought: 62.4%
— Extreme drought: 14.7%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Jewell County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.4%
— Severe drought: 82.0%
— Extreme drought: 17.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Morris County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 5.2%
— Severe drought: 73.1%
— Extreme drought: 21.7%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Ness County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 69.1%
— Extreme drought: 30.9%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Osborne County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 66.3%
— Extreme drought: 33.7%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Ellsworth County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 59.6%
— Extreme drought: 40.4%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Mitchell County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 16.8%
— Severe drought: 41.2%
— Extreme drought: 42.1%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

McPherson County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 55.4%
— Extreme drought: 44.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Woodson County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 26.3%
— Severe drought: 27.5%
— Extreme drought: 46.3%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Coffey County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 1.2%
— Severe drought: 41.4%
— Extreme drought: 57.4%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Ellis County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 29.9%
— Extreme drought: 70.1%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Rooks County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 29.1%
— Extreme drought: 70.9%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Russell County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 24.3%
— Extreme drought: 75.7%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Greenwood County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 18.8%
— Extreme drought: 81.2%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Chase County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 9.4%
— Extreme drought: 90.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Harvey County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 7.1%
— Extreme drought: 92.9%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Cowley County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 5.4%
— Extreme drought: 94.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Rice County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 0.4%
— Extreme drought: 99.6%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Marion County

– Abnormally dry: 0.0%
– Area in drought: 100.0%
— Moderate drought: 0.0%
— Severe drought: 0.0%
— Extreme drought: 100.0%
— Exceptional drought: 0.0%

Butler County