This week's Oklahoma Drought Monitor map reflects the worsening of the drought across Oklahoma. Almost 99% of the state is in Severe, Extreme or Exceptional Drought.

At this time of the year, red (at least on this map) is not a pretty color.

If you are new to Oklahoma or new to drought at this level, please be aware that as soils dry they can shift and crack and break water lines and foundations. In this case, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you are not in an area with a total ban on watering, just keeping the soil moist around your home's foundation (you can use soaker hoses or drip irrigation lines) can save you thousands of dollars in repair bills. We water our foundation a couple of times a week for as long as is needed with our specific soil to keep the soil moist. The higher the clay content of your soil, the more of a problem the cracking soil tends to be.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: This Week's Drought Map