Weekly drought update: Despite rain and snow, Washington still parched

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - March 22, 2005

05-065

Weekly drought update:
Despite rain and snow, Washington still parched

OLYMPIA - No, the drought isn't over, say officials with the state Department of Ecology.

Although it rained in many parts of Washington and as much as six inches of snow fell in the Cascade Mountains during the past week, the state still needs as much as 10 to 20 inches of water stored as snow to see a return to normal snowpack and stream-flow conditions.

"We would need a half-inch of rain every few days from now to the end of May to pull us out of the current water-deficit hole," said state climatologist Philip Mote. "Even the wettest spring ever would not bail us out of drought."

Despite the recent cool, wet weather, at least 21 Washington tributary streams and rivers posted new daily record-low flows yesterday. According to information from stream-flow gauges operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Ecology, the following Western Washington streams and rivers experienced record-low flows for March 21:

Clark County - East Fork Lewis River near Heisson (74 years of recorded data).
King County - Tolt River near Carnation (69 years of record); Issaquah Creek near mouth near Issaquah (40 years of record); Raging River near Fall City (45 years of record); Snoqualmie River near Snoqualmie (50 years of record); Cedar River at Renton (58 years of record); Green River near Auburn (67 years of record); Green River below Howard Hanson Dam (43 years of record); and Big Soos Creek above state hatchery near Auburn (43 years of record).
Lewis County - Cowlitz River near Kosmos (56 years of record).
Pierce County - South Prairie Creek at South Prairie (38 years of record) and Carbon River near Fairfax (62 years of record).
Skagit County - Samish River near Burlington (35 years of record).
Snohomish County - Snohomish River near Monroe (41 years of record).
Thurston County - Chehalis River near Grand Mound (75 years of record) and Deschutes River near Rainier (44 years of record).

The following Eastern Washington streams and rivers experienced the lowest flows ever recorded there on March 21:

Adams County - Palouse River at Hooper (69 years of record).
Columbia County - Tucannon River near Starbuck (47 years of record).
Spokane County - Spokane River at Spokane (112 years of record).
Walla Walla County - Walla Walla River near Touchet (52 years of record).

STATUS OF DROUGHT CONDITIONS According to the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, the snow pack in the Columbia River basin is in "terrible shape." With few exceptions, many of the basin sites in Washington now are snow-free. Ecology has already recorded low stream flows in some of the rivers where it may have to shut off or limit withdrawals by junior water-right holder earlier than usual, including the Little Spokane, Methow, Okanogan and Wenatchee river basins.

The combined Columbia Basin snow pack above The Dalles Dam currently is 59 percent of average, down from 68 percent on Feb. 1. This compares to 91 percent at this time last year and 53 percent in 2001 - the last time a statewide drought emergency was declared. The reason the percentage is higher this year than in 2001 is that Canadian snow pack is higher than four years ago. But for many measurement sites in Washington, 2005 continues to be the lowest year on record.

HOW STATE GOVERNMENT IS HELPING The Department of Ecology has received 34 requests from water users in the Yakima River basin to drill new or reactivate existing emergency wells. The department will host two workshops on March 29 to outline how the department will make decisions on the requests. The workshops are scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. at the Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. Eighth St., in Yakima.

Ecology continues to offer to lease irrigation water from senior water-right holders in the Yakima basin so junior water-right holders facing cutoff this year will still have water for drinking, flushing toilets and other domestic uses.

The Water Transfer Working Group, composed of representatives from the state departments of Ecology and Fish & Wildlife, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Yakama Nation and water users in the Yakima basin, has been reactivated and is meeting today to determine how to review and process 115 proposed water-right transfers from the Sunnyside Division of the Bureau of Reclamation's Yakima Project to the Roza Irrigation District. The group reviews transfer proposals and makes recommendations to the Yakima County Superior Court regarding whether a particular request should be approved.

CONSERVATION TIPS FOR THE WEEK

Don't let the water run when you are shaving, brushing your teeth, or hand-washing dishes. Turn on the tap only when you need to and don't use faucets at full pressure.
Make sure you have a full load before running your washing machine or dishwasher.

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Media contact on drought: Curt Hart, public information manager, 360-407-7139; pager, 360-971-9610.

Drought Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov (Under "Features," click on "2005 drought")