Iowa
Back so soon? After summer respite, drought returns to portions of Iowa
Raising flashboards in the Raccoon River in August 2020 due to drought
Des Moines Water Works raises flashboards in the Raccoon River to increase the water level near intake pipes. Drought forced that step again in 2023.
Brian Powers, Des Moines Register
Drought, Iowa’s unwelcome visitor, is creeping back into the corners of the state after a respite through the summer months.
The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor, posted Thursday, shows moderate drought in Fremont County in far southwest Iowa and in almost all of Clayton County as well as portions of Winneshiek, Allamakee, Fayette, Dubuque, Chickasaw and Bremer counties in northeast Iowa.
Meanwhile, after a warm, dry spell that has endured since mid-August, the rest of Iowa is abnormally dry, the Drought Monitor shows.
Rain coming, but more dry air follows
Even with rain expected in the short term, National Weather Service Meteorologist Craig Cogil said the outlook “dries out again” once it passes.
Iowa drought respite was brief
Iowa was drought-free for the first time in almost four years at the end of May. The state had been experiencing drought conditions since July 7, 2020, making it the longest drought since 1954-1959.
Additional rain came in June and July, at times too much, resulting in record flooding in northwest Iowa in late June.
Long-term deficit aids drought’s quick return
Cogil said the quick return of drought was aided by a long-term deficit of soil moisture. Since Jan. 1, 2020, he said, the southwest two-thirds of Iowa has experienced a 20-to-30-inch deficit in precipitation.
“Things get worse quicker than they normally would when we are already low on soil moisture,” he said.
However, drought conditions now should not affect this year’s harvest, and the lack of precipitation will be less of a concern going into the winter when soils freeze, he said.
“But if dry conditions persist into spring and summer, that would be a concern,” he said.
Crops OK, but pasture could be a concern for farmers
Aaron Sqaeugling, an Iowa State University Extension field agronomist for southwest Iowa, acknowledged that conditions are dry in his area, but this late in the season, the biggest impact is on pastures needed to graze livestock.
As for corn and soybeans, the dry conditions may somewhat reduce the predicted record yields, but should provide for an “early and fast harvest” with little need for extra drying, Sqaeugling said.
On the positive side for livestock producers, he said the abundance of rain through the growing season provided for better-than-normal hay crops.
“The one thing we may be short of is fall pasture,” he said.
Water utility takes step to ensure supply
As of Sept, 11, Des Moines Water Works had raised flashboards on its Raccoon River dam to increase water depth around its intakes there, according to a posting on its Facebook page.
Winter could limit further moisture loss
Once the crops are in and colder winter air arrives, evaporation will be reduced considerably and could limit further moisture losses, Cogil said.
“There has been a long-term shortage of precipitation since 2020, but we did get a nice break earlier this summer,” he said.
Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kbaskins@registermedia.com.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) — Volunteers broke ground Saturday for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build, honoring a retired University of Iowa nursing professor.
Liz Swanson, a retired nursing professor, was chosen as this year’s honoree for her decades of impact. The Women Build program focuses on including women in every step of home construction.
While the home is built in Swanson’s honor, it will go to a fellow nurse and mother of three. The family applied through the affordable housing program.
Swanson said she’s proud to be part of a project that directly connects to her nursing legacy.
“It’s very special to have the unique opportunity to help the nurse who is working nights,” Swanson said.
Swanson said stable housing gives families the security to plan for the future.
“It means security for families. We talked briefly to the children and they said, ‘we’re gonna have our own bedroom,’” Swanson said.
Volunteers are set to begin work on the home in August. Those interested in volunteering can find more information here.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-5-8
Evening: 9-9-2
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-2-7-3
Evening: 0-7-0-6
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing
14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
IOWA — Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.
The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.
“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.
Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.
At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.
That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.
“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.
The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.
“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.
Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.
For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.
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