Gov. Inslee, Ecology, Expand Drought Emergency Statewide
As more information is gathered about the lack of snowpack in the Cascades and other mountain areas, The State Department of Ecology (DOE) and Gov. Inslee have expanded the 2015 drought emergency to include most of Washington state.
Inslee and DOE issued the news Friday, which in part read:
" Worsening drought and snowpack conditions in Washington prompted Gov. Inslee to expand the state’s drought emergency today. Nearly half the state is now expected to experience hardships from this year’s drought.
With more snow lost than added over the past month, runoff from snowmelt this summer is projected to be the lowest on record in 64 years. Snowmelt feeds rivers and streams, and in turn provides critical water supply for farms and fish.
“This is an ongoing emergency and we’re going to have some long, hard months ahead of us,” Inslee said. “We’re moving quickly so that we’re prepared to provide relief to farms and fish this summer.”
Despite recent snow in the mountains, snowpack statewide remains only 24 percent of normal. That’s lower than when the last statewide drought was declared in 2005.
Right now, 24 river basins among 62 in Washington are expected to experience hardships from drought. This includes 16 watersheds in Western Washington and eight in Eastern Washington where water supplies will be short. This equates to roughly 44 percent of the state.
Eleven watersheds were identified in a drought declaration on March 13; six west of the Cascades and five east of the Cascades.
Maia Bellon, DOE Director, said the state has "never" dealt with a drought like this, at least in current times. While the drought has not affected municipal water suppliers (drinking and household water), it's expected to severely impact irrigators and agricultural operations.
The Department of Ecology has requested $9 million dollars from the Legislature to help fishery projects, emergency water rights for growers, and help approve water right transfers and other ways to get water to growers and others who depend upon it.
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