Drought

Montana ranchers were dealing with a lot of anxiety and depression as they contemplated many weighty decisions concerning management of their operations. Flathead Beacon (Kalispell, Mont.), July 29, 2025

Tropical moisture brought hit-and-miss showers to South Texas, and there was a chance of rain in the forecast. Weed problems were reported. Warmer temperatures and little rain allowed row crop farmers to proceed with corn and grain sorghum harvests. Crops looked good overall. Grain sorghum, corn and sunflower harvests neared completion in some areas and attention was turning to peanuts, cotton and sesame. Peanut fields continued to progress under irrigation and develop pods. Sesame harvest was awaiting the appropriate harvest window. Cotton bolls were setting and beginning to open in most fields. Cotton defoliation was expected to begin soon. Some citrus orchards were irrigated, and fruit was developing. Range and pasture conditions were still good, but soil moisture continued to decline due to extremely high temperatures. Falcon Reservoir levels remained critically low, affecting water quality for municipalities, irrigation and livestock. Beef cattle supplementation was increasing, and beef cattle prices remained very high. Wildlife such as deer, quail and turkey remained in good shape, but water and cover will be critical going into August. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), July 29, 2025 Conditions were warm and humid, with periodic rain showers in some parts of South Texas, but drought conditions persisted in others, and there was no water available in the local irrigation canals. Topsoil and subsoil moisture was adequate due to the scattered showers, but moisture was drying up due to the heat. The rains halted the grain sorghum harvest. Corn was in the denting stage, and cotton was setting bolls. Verde bugs on cotton were an emerging issue. Peanut planting was completed, with most fields in the pegging stage. Vegetable growers were harvesting. Strawberry fields were being prepared. Turfgrass harvest was underway. The watermelon harvest ended. Midge and sorghum aphid issues occurred on flowering sorghum. Hay fields and pastures were in excellent condition. Some grass was starting to dry out and turn yellow. Cattle supplementation decreased due to the improved range and pasture conditions. Beef cattle prices remained strong, and feed prices were still high. Livestock and wildlife were in good condition. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), July 1, 2025

Central Texas experienced hot temperatures with minimal rainfall, causing soil moisture levels to decline and drought stress to emerge in some areas. Burn bans were in place for some counties. Pastures showed mixed conditions with some areas maintaining good grazing while others began showing stress. Stock tanks and reservoirs remained full. Corn reached maturity, and harvest operations began. Hay production remained active with armyworms present in some hayfields. Some grasshopper activity was also reported. Cattle maintained good body condition with minimal supplemental feeding required. The cattle market remained strong, and sheep and goat markets held steady. Producers continued to rebuild livestock herds after previous drought years. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), July 29, 2025 Counties across Central Texas experienced warm and dry conditions over the past week, characterized by dramatically warming temperatures and declining soil moisture levels. Corn crops performed well, with silage harvests beginning and better-than-average yield expectations. Cotton needed additional rainfall. Temperatures approaching the mid-90s and forecasts reaching 100 degrees raised concerns about continued drought stress and declining pasture conditions. Hay production was in full swing, with exceptional yields and good quality, as producers capitalized on previous rainfall. Many producers were preparing for second hay cuttings. Livestock remained in good condition. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), July 1, 2025

Mineral companies that operate on the Great Salt Lake were required to use less water as the lake approached alarmingly low levels. Junior water rights holders in the Great Salt Lake basin will also receive less water this year. Utah News Dispatch (Salt Lake City), July 29, 2025

The City of Newport issued a stage one water curtailment notice on Monday, July 28. Under stage one restrictions, residents were urged to reduce their water usage as below-average precipitation and above-average temperatures were straining water supplies. KOIN-TV CBS 6 (Portland, Ore.), July 29, 2025

Hill County Commissioners voted to declare a drought emergency as farmers and ranchers try to cope with difficult circumstances. Hi-Line Today (Havre, Mont.), July 29, 2025

The Central Utah Water Conservancy District asked Heber City residents to limit their outdoor watering to conserve water. In neighboring Coalville, the mayor requested on July 23 that residents adhere to a schedule that allowed watering every other day during certain hours. KPCW-FM 88.1 & 91.9 (Park City, Utah), July 28, 2025

The Nevada Department of Wildlife intended to offer more hunting tags in the fall to reduce the sheep population because there were more than the resources could support. The Nevada Independent (Reno), July 27, 2025

The hard red winter wheat in the Heppner area was shriveled and slightly lighter than usual with a lower test weight than they’d like. Last year, a full truckload would have been about 62,000 pounds, but this year, it’s ranging from about 55,000 to 57,000 pounds. Drought has reduced the weight of the wheat by 2 to 3 pounds per bushel. Hermiston Herald (Ore.), July 28, 2025

Ipswich was in moderate drought due to drought and low flow in the Ipswich River and Parker River. A mandatory water restriction took effect with the shift from mild to moderate drought. Ipswich Local News (Ipswich, Mass.), July 25, 2025

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources enacted a burn ban on all forest lands under its jurisdiction in Eastern Washington, effective July 18. The ban was in response to increasing wildfire activity and persistent hot, dry weather conditions. KREM-TV CBS 2 (Spokane, Wash.), July 18, 2025

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension has received a lot of questions on its online portal about dying trees statewide. An analysis of the trees seemed to indicate that drought was hurting the trees. Pine trees were succumbing in Bonita, Willcox and Pearce, but no pathogen was found that would explain the issues that the trees had, apart from lack of water. Eastern Arizona Courier (Safford, Ariz.), July 18, 2025

A drought emergency has been declared for Douglas County to provide assistance due to economic losses and the wildfire threat. KEZI News (Ore.), July 25, 2025

The past two to three weeks have been dry in parts of Georgia, which was beginning to affect the peanuts. The crop was in a critical period where adequate rainfall is needed. Southeast Ag Net (Gainesville, Fla.), July 25, 2025

Beaver residents received a notice on Tuesday, July 8, requesting that the public reduce lawn watering because the city was dealing with a water shortage. Drinking water supplies were adequate, but there was a shortage of water for the secondary irrigation water system. FOX 13 (Salt Lake City, Utah), July 8, 2025

The wildfires were diminishing air quality and affecting western Colorado's outdoor recreation economy. The Bureau of Land Management closed public lands access in Mesa, Delta, and Montrose counties, and the South Rim Fire has closed the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Gunnison National Park brings in about $35 million in revenue to the city and county each year. The park’s closure will have a large impact on the area. Wyoming Public Media (Laramie, Wyo.), July 23, 2025

The Madison River, Firehole River and Gibbon River closed to fishing from 2 p.m. to sunrise the following day due to warm water temperatures and low river flows. National Park Service, June 18, 2025 Some rivers in Yellowstone National Park closed to fishing on July 12 due to warm water temperatures and low river flows. This includes the Madison River, Firehole River, Gibbon River downstream of Norris Campground and all tributaries associated with those rivers. National Park Service, July 11, 2025

The Jackson Town Council unanimously passed an emergency ordinance requiring all properties connected to the Town’s public water supply to limit irrigation use starting July 21. The ordinance, which is scheduled to end on October 31, was put into place to prioritize water availability for domestic and household use and fire suppression. The water shortage has become an emergency issue, affecting the health, safety and welfare of the community. The aim was to reduce irrigation through the summer and lower water use on the system overall by 30% to 40%. Buckrail (Jackson, Wyo.), July 22, 2025

Converse County commissioners enacted a partial open fire ban due to drought. Stage 1 fire closures and regulations restrict open flames, including open pit fires at campgrounds. The Douglas Budget (Wyo.), July 23, 2025

The City of Douglas issued mandatory water conservation measures on Friday, July 18 because demand exceeded supply. Since then, water usage has dropped below what the city’s three water sources can produce. The restrictions may be lifted sometime in the next week if turbidity levels in the North Platte lessen and the treatment plant can be used. The Douglas Budget (Wyo.), July 23, 2025