Counties with the worst droughts in South Dakota
Nearly half of the continental United States is currently experiencing moderate to exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Storms during this past winter brought heavy (in some areas, record-setting) rainfall and flooding to California, offering the state an expected two-year reprieve from widespread droughts that covered nearly 100% of the state from 2020 to 2022. But in other parts of the country, especially dry conditions continue.
Six states currently have the most widespread drought, covering 100% of their areas. These are Maryland, South Dakota, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware.
In periods of drought, levels of major reservoirs and rivers can fall dramatically. Groundwater systems are also affected as shrinking water supplies impact agriculture and hydropower generation while increasing wildfire risk. Across New England, ongoing drought has shrunk reservoirs and water supplies in the region.
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.
Stacker cited data from the U.S. Drought Monitor to identify the counties in South Dakota with the worst droughts as of Nov. 19, 2024. 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 also included. Any counties not experiencing drought are not included in the list. Counties are listed in order of drought severity.
South Dakota statistics
- Area in drought: 100.0% (#1 nationally, tie)
--- Moderate drought: 51.0%
--- Severe drought: 38.7%
--- Extreme drought: 10.3%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Ziebach County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Sully County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Stanley County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Spink County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Roberts County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Potter County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Moody County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Minnehaha County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
McPherson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
McCook County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Marshall County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Lake County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hyde County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hughes County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hamlin County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Grant County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Faulk County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Edmunds County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Deuel County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Day County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Codington County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Clark County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Brown County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Brookings County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 100.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Campbell County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 99.9%
--- Severe drought: 0.1%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hand County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 99.8%
--- Severe drought: 0.2%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Kingsbury County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 98.1%
--- Severe drought: 1.9%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Walworth County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 96.9%
--- Severe drought: 3.1%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Haakon County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 94.5%
--- Severe drought: 5.5%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Turner County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 85.8%
--- Severe drought: 14.2%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Miner County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 74.5%
--- Severe drought: 25.5%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Dewey County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 72.6%
--- Severe drought: 27.4%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Beadle County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 69.5%
--- Severe drought: 30.5%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Bon Homme County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 64.0%
--- Severe drought: 36.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Lincoln County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 63.1%
--- Severe drought: 36.9%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Jones County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 60.1%
--- Severe drought: 39.9%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Buffalo County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 57.7%
--- Severe drought: 42.3%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Corson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 57.5%
--- Severe drought: 42.5%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hutchinson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 48.4%
--- Severe drought: 51.6%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Lyman County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 39.1%
--- Severe drought: 60.9%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hanson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 16.0%
--- Severe drought: 84.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Jerauld County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 2.8%
--- Severe drought: 97.2%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Tripp County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Sanborn County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Gregory County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Douglas County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Davison County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Charles Mix County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Brule County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Aurora County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 100.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Yankton County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 25.6%
--- Severe drought: 74.3%
--- Extreme drought: 0.1%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Butte County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 99.4%
--- Extreme drought: 0.6%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Perkins County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 15.9%
--- Severe drought: 83.1%
--- Extreme drought: 1.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Meade County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 36.6%
--- Severe drought: 59.8%
--- Extreme drought: 3.6%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Bennett County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 92.8%
--- Extreme drought: 7.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Union County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 90.8%
--- Extreme drought: 9.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Oglala Lakota County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 88.1%
--- Extreme drought: 11.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Jackson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 2.2%
--- Severe drought: 82.0%
--- Extreme drought: 15.8%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Pennington County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 16.8%
--- Severe drought: 49.3%
--- Extreme drought: 33.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Clay County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 62.8%
--- Extreme drought: 37.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Todd County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 59.0%
--- Extreme drought: 41.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Lawrence County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 54.1%
--- Extreme drought: 45.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Mellette County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 34.8%
--- Extreme drought: 65.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Harding County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 34.3%
--- Extreme drought: 65.7%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Custer County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 27.3%
--- Extreme drought: 72.7%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Fall River County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 23.0%
--- Extreme drought: 77.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.