I believe that yes, we have an impact. I'm not saying it's the main cause. Is it a factor? Absolutely, yes. Below is the response from ChatGPT.
"Soil moisture and heat feedbacks
Large dry areas in the West and Plains can influence continental weather somewhat:
- hotter land surfaces alter air circulation,
- dry soils reduce evaporation,
- heat waves can become more widespread.
These effects may help sustain broader drought conditions, but their influence weakens farther east where ocean moisture becomes dominant."
I would think that the part in bold would be common sense. But I've realized in recent years that it is not. We contribute to the dry soil. The dry soil reduces evaporation.
We are getting close. People are starting to realize that things like almond farms drain the soil of water, and that leads to less evaporation. Less evaporation, more drought in the plains states.
The further east you go the more the Gulf of America impacts precipitation. The plains states are absolutely impacted by water use out west.