Drought Information Statement for South Texas Valid August 7, 2025 Issued By: NWS Corpus Christi, TX Contact Information: sr-crp.webmaster@noaa.gov This product will be updated by September 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. Drought conditions slightly improved over northern Live Oak and Bee counties, but slightly degraded over the southern Brush Country and Coastal Bend. July experienced normal temperatures. Precipitation was generally below normal across South Texas, especially over the northern Coastal Bend. Above normal precipitation fell over northern La Salle County and portions of the Victoria Crossroads. Near-normal precipitation and greater chances for above normal temperatures during the month of August. 1 U.S. Drought Monitor Drought intensity and Extent D4 (Exceptional Drought): None D3 (Extreme Drought): Small portion of northern McMullen county. D2 (Severe Drought): Rest of McMullen county. Portions of Live Oak and La Salle counties. D1 (Moderate Drought): Most of Webb and Duval counties. Rest of Live Oak County. Portions of Jim Wells and Bee counties. D0: (Abnormally Dry): Rest of Bee and Jim Wells counties. All of San Patricio County. Portions of Kleberg, Nueces, Aransas, Refugio, and Goliad counties. Recent Change in Drought Intensity Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. Drought Worsened: Coastal portions of Aransas, San Patricio, Nueces counties. Sliver of western Kleberg and southern Jim Wells counties. No Change: Inland Coastal Plains. Drought Improved: Large chunk of the Brush Country including Webb, Duval, La Salle counties. Northern portions of Live Oak and Bee counties. Precipitation Most of South Texas experienced 50-90% of normal rainfall for the month of July. However, below 25% was received over the northern Coastal Bend and above 110% fall over northern La Salle County. Generally between 1-4” fall across the region throughout the month of July. South Texas Rainfall Temperature 7-Day max temperatures were mainly normal across the Coastal Plains. The Brush Country experienced a couple degrees warmer than normal max temperatures. Max temperatures across the region were normal with a few pockets that were a couple degrees below normal over the month of June. Summary of Impacts Hydrologic Impacts Stage 3 water restrictions remain in effect despite above normal rainfall over the watershed. Local lake levels continue to decline overall. Currently, the combined storage levels of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon are sitting at 14.7 percent as of August 6th compared to 15.4 percent one month prior. 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. Agricultural Impacts (https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/tag/texas-crop-and-weather-report/) Coastal Bend: Most of the county received rain over the weekend, with totals between 0.5-1 inch. Soil moisture conditions continued to decline in most areas. Rice and corn harvests were in full swing. Grain sorghum harvest was complete with the exception of late-planted acres that followed failed cotton. Cotton harvest started in early planted fields and should progress well, although some fields were still maturing. Range and pasture conditions remained mostly fair to good due to earlier rains. Livestock remained in good condition thanks to earlier high-quality forage production. Pasture conditions began to decline due to dry conditions and heat, and hay harvest continued. Bermuda grass stem maggot and fall armyworms were active in hay fields. South: Tropical moisture brought hit-and-miss showers, 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. Summary of Impacts Fire Hazard Impacts None. Other Impacts Corpus Christi under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.cctexas.com/) Portland under stage 3 water restrictions Laredo under stage 2 water restrictions (https://laredoutilities.com/water-conservation-program/) Alice under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.cityofalice.org/_T19_R185.php) Mathis under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.cityofmathis.com/213/Water-Restrictions) Rockport under stage 3 water restrictions (https://www.rockporttx.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3440) Victoria under stage 2 water restrictions (https://www.victoriatx.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=2001) Other South Texas communities under restrictions can be found here 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 generally normal across South Texas Below normal streamflow for the San Antonio - Nueces River Basin Reservoir Pool Elevation (ft) Current Elevation (ft) Choke Canyon 220.5 184.23 Lake Corpus Christi 94.0 79.41 Lake Texana 44.0 43.28 Coleto Creek 98.0 97.55 Canyon Lake 909.0 892.71 Lake Amistad 1117.0 1056.24 Reservoir values as of August 7, 2025 Soil Moisture | Crop Moisture Agricultural Impacts Soil moisture is near normal across the region. Crop moisture index remains below normal for South Texas. Fire Hazard Impacts Burn Bans in the Brush Country, including La Salle, Webb and Duval counties. Normal significant wildland fire potential outlook across South Texas Latest TX Burn Ban map available here. Image Caption: TX Map KBDI Index Valid MM DD YYYY Seven Day Precipitation Forecast Up to 0.1” of rain is forecast over the next 7 days across South Texas with localized amounts up to 0.25” over the Victoria Crossroads. Rapid Onset Drought Outlook Summarize conditions and impacts here Long-Range Outlooks The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Near-normal precipitation is expected through the month of August. There is a 33-50% chances, east to west respectively, for above normal temperatures through the month of August. Drought Outlook The latest monthly and seasonal drought outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Drought conditions are expected to persist across the Brush Country through October.