Counties with the worst droughts in Texas
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.
Stacker cited data from U.S. Drought Monitor to identify the counties in Texas 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 Texas which is experiencing drought.
Texas statistics
- Area in drought: 71.4% (#5 nationally)
--- Moderate drought: 24.9%
--- Severe drought: 30.7%
--- Extreme drought: 14.3%
--- Exceptional drought: 1.5%
Ector County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 65.6%
--- Extreme drought: 34.4%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Victoria County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 63.5%
--- Extreme drought: 36.5%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Bastrop County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 62.1%
--- Extreme drought: 37.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Refugio County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 14.3%
--- Severe drought: 47.4%
--- Extreme drought: 38.3%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Harris County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 61.3%
--- Extreme drought: 38.7%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Jackson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 56.9%
--- Extreme drought: 43.1%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Lee County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 56.6%
--- Extreme drought: 43.4%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Comanche County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 54.6%
--- Extreme drought: 45.4%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
McLennan County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 40.5%
--- Extreme drought: 59.5%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Caldwell County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 37.5%
--- Extreme drought: 62.5%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Angelina County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 31.5%
--- Extreme drought: 68.5%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
San Saba County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 28.6%
--- Extreme drought: 71.4%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Guadalupe County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 27.8%
--- Extreme drought: 72.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Mills County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 15.8%
--- Extreme drought: 84.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hamilton County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 14.1%
--- Extreme drought: 85.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
San Jacinto County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 10.9%
--- Extreme drought: 89.1%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Midland County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 5.3%
--- Extreme drought: 94.7%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Calhoun County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.1%
--- Severe drought: 0.8%
--- Extreme drought: 99.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
San Augustine County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.7%
--- Extreme drought: 99.3%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Tyler County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Travis County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Sabine County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Polk County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Orange County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Newton County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Matagorda County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Llano County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Liberty County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Lampasas County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Jefferson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Jasper County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hays County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Hardin County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Galveston County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Chambers County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Brazoria County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 100.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.0%
Mason County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 12.0%
--- Extreme drought: 87.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 0.1%
Medina County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 26.6%
--- Extreme drought: 72.3%
--- Exceptional drought: 1.1%
Burnet County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 97.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 2.1%
Coryell County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 94.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 5.1%
Bexar County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 89.5%
--- Exceptional drought: 10.5%
Kimble County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 30.3%
--- Extreme drought: 52.1%
--- Exceptional drought: 17.6%
Comal County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 75.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 25.0%
Williamson County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 74.6%
--- Exceptional drought: 25.4%
Blanco County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 74.1%
--- Exceptional drought: 25.9%
Bandera County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 1.0%
--- Extreme drought: 59.8%
--- Exceptional drought: 39.2%
Bell County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 1.0%
--- Extreme drought: 55.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 43.8%
Kerr County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 34.9%
--- Exceptional drought: 65.1%
Gillespie County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 32.2%
--- Exceptional drought: 67.8%
Kendall County
- Area in drought: 100.0%
--- Moderate drought: 0.0%
--- Severe drought: 0.0%
--- Extreme drought: 0.0%
--- Exceptional drought: 100.0%