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Department of Ecology News Release - May 29, 2001
01-092
OLYMPIA - Following is the Department of Ecology's (Ecology) weekly report about the status of drought conditions in Washington, assistance being provided by state agencies, and what citizens can do to conserve and share water.
Status of drought conditions
Warm weather continues to melt the limited snow pack quickly throughout the state.
"The declines are dramatic and rapid," said Doug McChesney, Ecology's drought coordinator. "The melting of snow pack is running about a month ahead of typical non-drought years."
The water content in the snow pack that feeds the Spokane and Palouse basins is at 13 percent of normal; Columbia and Methow basins at 16 percent; lower Yakima at 30 percent; Lewis and Cowlitz at 54 percent; and Puyallup, White and Green at 66 percent. In other basins of the state, the melting of the snow pack has been unusually rapid, so estimates for water content still remaining in the snow pack are unreliable.
Flow levels continue to vary in rivers across Washington, with some experiencing record lows and others flowing near normal as the snow pack continues to feed them.
"Even the stream flows that are almost at normal levels will decline once the snow pack has melted," said McChesney. "Without additional rain, the water in those rivers will fall below normal levels in the coming months."
People who are interested in monitoring the flow conditions in their local rivers can obtain real-time information from a Web site maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey, at http://water.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/daily_flow?wa.
Ecology Department quickly processing citizens' requests for water
In the past week, Ecology received six new emergency water applications. The agency approved nine and denied three.
The agency also received 16 emergency applications to change or transfer water rights; 10 were approved, and the rest are being reviewed.
All together, Ecology has received 42 applications for emergency water permits since the drought emergency was declared on March 14; 36 were approved, and three were denied. Another 86 applications to change or transfer water rights have been filed; 67 have been approved, and three were denied.
Conservation tips for this week
Compost food scraps or dispose of them in the garbage, rather than using the garbage disposal, which uses a lot of water. Wash full loads in dishwashers and clothes-washing machines.
Contact: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, 360-407-6157; 360-534-8590 (pager)
Ecology's drought Web site:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/drought/droughthome.html (Link removed
12/01/2003)
Governor's drought Web site: http://www.governor.wa.gov/drought/drought.htm
Ecology's drought hotline: 800-468-0261
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
