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 | Row crop growth is stunted, irrigation begins early |
| Brush fires increase |
| D1 | Peach size is reduced; non-irrigated corn shows severe stress |
| Fire risk increases; tree pests increase |
| Water use is high; creeks, streams, and lakes are low |
| Voluntary conservation of water and energy is requested |
| D2 | Cattle are lighter, producers are selling calves early and feeding cattle earlier |
| Number of fires increases, and fires are more intense |
| Fisheries are impacted; duck hunting areas close |
| Boating recreation is compromised |
| River and lake levels are low; saltwater intrusion occurs; hydroelectric power production is reduced |
| D3 | Hay is scarce and expense; owners are giving away horses |
| Soil moisture is low, winter crops are slow to germinate |
| Burn bans begin |
| Small aquatic species are stressed |
| Mandatory water restrictions are implemented, violators are fined; lake outflow is low |
| D4 | Producers are hauling water for cattle; auctions see record number of cattle |
| Trees are stressed; fish are dying |
| Daily life is compromised |
| Wells are contaminated or running dry; lakes are extremely low with hazards exposed |
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.