There are a multitude of drought indicators available online, but sifting through all of the data can be overwhelming. We have pulled together a few key indicators to give you a sense of the drought status in Cedar Rapids.
Rain Deficit
The rain deficit is the difference between how much rain Cedar Rapids usually gets and how much rain has actually fallen this year. (source)
Departure from Normal Rainfall (Jan. 1–April 22, 2024)
+5.4 inches
Cedar River Flow
The amount of water flowing through the river directly affects the aquifer through which we draw Cedar Rapids' drinking water. The flow of the river is measured in cubic feet per second (cu ft/s). Learn more about about the relationship between the river and our water supply.
|
Current River Flow |
Median River Flow on this Date |
Historic Lowest River Flow (1901-2023) |
|
4,900 cu ft/s |
4,950 cu ft/s |
884 cu ft/s |
|
Last updated 4/22/2023 |
on 4/22 across recorded years |
on 4/22/1957 |
(source)
Drought Intensity Map
The intensity of a drought is captured by combining the following factors:
- Amount of Rain (or lack thereof)
- Temperature
- Duration of the drought
(Map last updated: 4/18/2024. source)
