Although snowpack levels throughout the West are
average or better this year, the Northwest faces another year of
drought. As of mid-May, the water content in Washington’s and
Oregon’s snowpack was between 20 and 59 percent of normal, while
precipitation in the Snake River Basin averaged just half of
normal. Low reservoir levels and trickling streamflows are making
it tough for the Bonneville Power Administration and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers to meet promised streamflows for migrating
salmon. Washington farmers are also under the gun. Recently,
Washington Gov. Mike Lowry declared a drought emergency in the
Yakima River Basin, a condition which permits the state Department
of Ecology to quickly approve requests to operate emergency wells,
drill new ones or temporarily transfer water rights, reports the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Doug McChesney, an Ecology Department
planner, says, “This year there is going to be some pain.”
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Drought for the Northwest.
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