Drought Information Statement for South Texas Valid May 10, 2025 Issued By: NWS Corpus Christi, TX Contact Information: sr-crp.webmaster@noaa.gov This product will be updated by June 7, 2025 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly. Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements. Please visit https://www.weather.gov/crp/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. April experienced slightly below to above normal precipitation across most of South Texas, with much below normal precipitation over the western Brush Country. April was warmer than normal. Drought conditions worsened over the span of a month across the Brush Country but improved over the Coastal Bend and Victoria Crossroads. Greater likelihood for above normal precipitation and temperatures through June. 1 U.S. Drought Monitor Drought intensity and Extent D4 (Exceptional Drought): None D3 (Extreme Drought): Portions of northern Webb, La Salle, McMullen, Live Oak and Bee counties. D2 (Severe Drought): Most of South Texas except portions of the southern Coastal Bend and Victoria Crossroads. D1 (Moderate Drought): Victoria Crossroads and most of the Coastal Bend. D0: (Abnormally Dry): None. Recent Change in Drought Intensity Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. Drought Worsened: Portions of Live Oak, McMullen, La Salle, Webb and Duval counties. No Change: Most of South Texas counties west of the Coastal Bend. Drought Improved: Along the Coastal Bend to the Victoria Crossroads. Precipitation Areas adjacent to the immediate Texas coast received up to 200-300% of normal precipitation, much of the region received 75-150% of normal precipitation. Western Brush Country only received 0-50% of normal precipitation. Much of the region received up to around 2-4” of rain and localized areas across the Coastal Plains and the Brush Country received less than 1” during the month of April. South Texas Rainfall Temperature Max temperatures were above normal across the board. Much of the region were 1 to 3 degrees above normal. Max temperatures across the extreme northwest were 4-6 degrees above normal over the month of April. Summary of Impacts Hydrologic Impacts Stage 3 water restrictions remain in effect despite several inches of rainfall over portions of the watershed. Local lake levels continue to decline overall. Currently, the combined storage levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon are sitting at 16.4 percent as of May 10th compared to 17.3 percent last month. Under Stage 4 water restrictions, outdoor watering is prohibited, but no date has been announced for if or when they will kick in. However, homeowners can still water their foundations by hand once every other week. Stage 4 is implemented when city officials determine a water-supply emergency exists. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and said they will continue to keep the public informed as the drought conditions persist. SandFest, an event where participants use beach sand to create impressive sculptures, will be taking place in Port Aransas the last weekend in April. Due to water restrictions, an alternate water source, pond water from a private well, will be used rather than city water. Agricultural Impacts (https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/tag/texas-crop-and-weather-report/) Coastal Bend: Rain fell over most counties, with reports ranging from trace amounts up to 3 inches. Drying conditions with warming temperatures and windy days continued to deplete topsoil moisture. Farmers with irrigation began irrigating corn last week. Corn was beginning to silk, and most fields looked good. Weeds became an issue with recent rains, and producers were working to get them under control. Pecan producers were scouting for pecan nut casebearer eggs, and some were applying insecticide accordingly. The first hay cutting was complete, but growth for the next cutting was slowed by limited rainfall. Rangeland and pasture conditions continued to improve, with ample high-quality forage available on most operations, though areas that received little rain remained in poorer condition. Livestock were gaining body condition, and calves were gaining well. South: Agricultural conditions were favorable with mild temperatures and some spotty moisture across the district. Topsoil and subsoil conditions continued to be very short to short. Winds were high, and daily temperatures reached the upper-90s. Some rain was in the forecast. Stock tank levels remained a concern for some producers. All row crops were planted and progressing well with adequate soil moisture. However, both row crops and forages needed additional rainfall. Cotton planting was wrapping up. Fieldwork for peanuts continued. Strawberry production continued to move along. Onion and cabbage harvests should be concluding soon. Citrus trees were doing well with juvenile fruit continuing the maturation process. Some late-planted crops failed and will most likely be replanted. Corn looked good but needed rain. Hay producers continued preparing for the next cutting. Planted sesame emerged and very few acres were left to plant. Beet armyworm pressure was reported on sesame. Grain sorghum fields looked clean, but a few fields had some sorghum aphids. Pastures that did not experience days of standing water due to last month’s flood were doing well. Rangeland conditions were improving. Rangeland and pasture conditions were fair to good in most areas and grazing availability was improving. Ranchers planned to do herbicide brush work. Livestock were in good condition, but supplemental feeding was necessary. Beef cattle prices remained very high. Feed prices were high. Summary of Impacts Fire Hazard Impacts Critical fire weather conditions were in effect April 13th, with elevated conditions on the 14th and 17th. Other Impacts Corpus Christi under stage 3 water restrictions Portland under stage 3 water restrictions Laredo under stage 2 water restrictions Alice under stage 3 restrictions Bishop under stage 2 water restrictions Rockport under stage 3 water restrictions Other South Texas communities under restrictions can be found here The taste and smell of tap water in Victoria has changed as the city drew more water from city reservoirs and less from the Guadalupe River. The water treatment process was being adjusted to deal with the concerns about taste and odor. The Bernardo C. Sandoval Pool will remain closed for the summer of 2025 due to severe drought and water restrictions, after a unanimous decision by the Beeville City Council at its regular April 8 meeting. The pool holds roughly 240,000 gallons of water and requires periodic refilling during the summer. Mitigation Actions Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information. USGS 7-Day Avg Streamflow | Texas Reservoirs Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts Flows are mostly below normal across much of the region. Portions of the southern Coastal Plains and the northern Coastal Bend currently Normal to much above normal. Reservoir Pool Elevation (ft) Current Elevation (ft) Choke Canyon. 220.5 185.68 Lake Corpus Christi 94.0 79.97 Lake Texana 44.0 39.95 Coleto Creek 98.0 96.18 Canyon Lake 909.0 877.58 Lake Amistad 1117.0 1048.77 Reservoir values as of May 10, 2025 Soil Moisture | Crop Moisture Agricultural Impacts Soil moisture is near normal to slightly below normal across the region. Crop moisture index is not available at this time. Fire Hazard Impacts Burn Bans in place across the northern Coastal Bend and Brush Country. Above normal significant wildland fire potential for inland South Texas through June. Latest TX Burn Ban map available here. Seven Day Precipitation Forecast Up to around 0.1” of rain is forecast over the next 7 days across eastern portions of South Texas. Long-Range Outlooks The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage There is a 33-50% probability of above-normal precipitation across South Texas through May. Greater chances for above normal temperatures through May Drought Outlook The latest monthly and seasonal drought outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Drought conditions are expected to improve across the region; potentially ending over Kleberg, southern Jim Wells, and southern Duval counties.