Washington drought declared

Washington just put every watershed in the state under a drought emergency on April 8, even after a winter that brought 104% of normal precipitation from October through February. The problem is that much of that water fell as rain instead of snow, leaving the state with about half of its usual mountain snowpack at the start of spring. (ecology.wa.gov) That sounds backwards until you remember what snow does in the West. Snowpack is the state’s slow-release reservoir, and Washington depends on it to melt gradually through spring and summer when rivers, farms, fish, and towns need water most. (ecology.wa.gov) Under Washington law, a drought emergency is not just “dry weather.” The trigger is a projected water supply below 75% of normal plus likely hardship for water users or the environment, and the state’s Water Supply Availability Committee said on March 12 that threshold had been crossed statewide for April through September 2026. (ecology.wa.gov) This is now Washington’s fourth consecutive drought declaration and the fourth statewide drought emergency since 2015. The Department of Ecology says seven of the past 10 years have brought drought to part or all of the state. (ecology.wa.gov) The Yakima Basin shows how quickly this turns into a farm problem. The Bureau of Reclamation’s March forecast said senior water-right holders should get 100% of their supply, but junior users are projected to get only 44% of their full allotment for the April-to-September irrigation season. (usbr.gov) That 44% figure matters because Yakima is one of the country’s biggest irrigated farm regions for apples, hops, cherries, and other crops. Washington’s drought order says some growers are already expecting to fallow land, cut irrigation, or skip planting some fields altogether. (usbr.gov) (ecology.wa.gov) The water risk is not limited to farms. Washington’s drought response page says small and vulnerable public water systems may need water trucking, deeper wells, or well rehabilitation later in the season, even though the large utility systems serving Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett say they planned early and do not expect impacts for their customers. (ecology.wa.gov 1) (ecology.wa.gov 2) Fish get squeezed from the other side of the same equation. When there is less snow to melt, rivers run lower and warmer, and the Department of Ecology says that creates harsher conditions for salmon and other aquatic species during summer. (ecology.wa.gov) Fire agencies are watching the same missing snow for a different reason. Low snowpack usually means mountain fuels dry out earlier, and Washington’s drought declaration specifically warns that early melt-off is raising wildfire concerns before the state has even reached the core of fire season. (ecology.wa.gov) (nwccinfo.blogspot.com) The near-term forecast is not offering much help. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center says April through June 2026 leans warmer than normal across the Pacific Northwest, with below-normal precipitation favored as well. (cpc.ncep.noaa.gov) A drought declaration also unlocks tools the state cannot use as easily in a normal year. Washington can now speed up emergency drought permits and send relief money to cities, irrigation districts, and public utility districts for measures like emergency infrastructure and temporary water transfers. (ecology.wa.gov)