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.
Select a state to see impacts that have been recorded in the past in each U.S. Drought Monitor category.
| Category | Historically observed impacts |
|---|
| D0 | Forage crops and pasture are stressed; producers feed livestock early |
| Ground is hard |
| Agriculture ponds and creeks begin to decline |
| D1 | Cash crop growth and yield are low |
| National forests implement campfire and firework bans |
| Streams and ponds are low |
| Fire activity increases |
| D2 | Crops are damaged, especially dryland corn |
| Burn bans begin |
| Large cracks appear in foundations of homes |
| Large surface water levels drop; agricultural ponds and streams have dried up |
| Saltwater intrusion occurs in rivers and bays; saltwater wildlife migrate upstream |
| Hydroelectric power decreases; navigation is limited |
| D3 | Soybean pods shatter |
| Large-scale hay shortages occur; producers sell livestock |
| Wildfire count and fire danger continue to increase |
| Landscape growth is stunted and needs irrigation; Christmas tree growth is stunted |
| Ground has noticeable cracks; road damage has occurred |
| Low flow in rivers and lakes affects recreation |
| Water mains break daily in large municipalities; water conservation is implemented |
| Air quality is poor |
| D4 | Trees and shrubs are defoliated; grass is brown; landscaping projects are delayed |
| Wildfire count is very high |
| Lakes are extremely low; large municipalities implement water restrictions; water prices increase |
How well does this table describe drought impacts in your state for each level of drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor? Is anything missing? Please fill out this survey to help improve the table.