Current Impacts
To see or report current drought impacts, please visit the Drought Impacts Toolkit, where you can find impacts from media in the Drought Impact Reporter, and from citizen scientists and other volunteer observers under Condition Monitoring Observations.
Historic Impacts
No two states experience the same set of impacts during a drought. We developed tables of impacts reported during past droughts in each state for each level of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor. These state-specific possible impacts complement the general, national possible impacts column of the U.S. Drought Monitor Classification Scheme.
| Category | Historically observed impacts |
|---|
| D0 | Snowpack is reduced |
| Golf season is extended |
| D1 | Forage is reduced |
| Fire danger increases; fires at elevation increase |
| D2 | Summer recreation season is extended; hunting is compromised |
| Bear activity increases; wildlife encroach onto residential areas |
| Desert plants implement reproductive survival mechanisms |
| Surface water levels decline; Lake Tahoe water clarity is higher than normal |
| D3 | Alfalfa and hay yields decrease; farmers are not planting crops |
| Pasture conditions are very poor; producers are selling cattle |
| Fire activity increases; fire season is extended; firework ban is implemented |
| Excess algae growth and fish kills occur |
| Vegetation green-up is poor |
| Winter recreation is limited |
| Forage and water supplies are inadequate for wildlife; wild horse health deteriorates, leading to emergency roundup and relocation |
| Lakes and rivers are depleted; lake hazards are noted; water temperatures rise |
| Irrigation allocations are very low; water supply for farming and ranching is inadequate |
| D4 | Boat ramps close; trout fishing limits are lifted; wildlife populations decline; producers haul water for wildlife; ecosystem viability is threatened |
| Citizens reduce water use |
| Reservoir levels are extremely low; hydropower production is limited, alternative power is expensive; groundwater decreases; water allotments to farmers and ranchers are curtailed |
How well does this table characterize drought impacts in your state? Think an impact is missing? Please fill out this survey to help improve the table.