May, 2001

Precipitation rankings are for October 2000-May 2001, where 1 = driest, and 106 = wettest, based on the period 1895 to 2001.  Also shown is the areal percent of the basin experiencing severe or extreme long-term (Palmer) drought, and areal percent of the basin experiencing severe or extreme long-term (Palmer) wet conditions, as of May 2001. The river basin regions are defined by the U.S. Water Resources Council.

                                        PRECIPITATION  % AREA  % AREA
          RIVER BASIN                       RANK        DRY     WET
          -----------                   -------------  ------  ------

          MISSOURI BASIN                     90         21.5%    0.0%
          PACIFIC NORTHWEST BASIN             2         61.4%    0.0%
          CALIFORNIA RIVER BASIN             24          4.2%    0.0%
  
          GREAT BASIN                        62         18.2%    0.0%
          UPPER COLORADO BASIN               60         23.6%    0.0%
          LOWER COLORADO BASIN               89         10.4%   18.3%
          RIO GRANDE BASIN                   94          1.6%   16.1%
  
          ARKANSAS-WHITE-RED BASIN          100          0.0%   28.0%
          TEXAS GULF COAST BASIN             96          0.0%    0.0%
          SOURIS-RED-RAINY BASIN            102          0.0%   63.4%
          UPPER MISSISSIPPI BASIN            92          0.0%   24.2%
  
          LOWER MISSISSIPPI BASIN            55         16.8%    0.0%
          GREAT LAKES BASIN                  45          0.0%    0.0%
          OHIO RIVER BASIN                    7          6.4%    0.0%
          TENNESSEE RIVER BASIN              18          0.0%    0.0%
  
          NEW ENGLAND BASIN                  10         36.1%    0.0%
          MID-ATLANTIC BASIN                  8          0.0%    0.0%
          SOUTH ATLANTIC-GULF BASIN          24         26.4%    0.0%