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Department of Ecology News Release - August 16, 2005
05-210
OLYMPIA - The state's Executive Water Emergency and Water Supply Availability committees will hold a community meeting in Port Angeles on Aug. 30 to talk with citizens about the ongoing drought emergency.
The event is intended for general public participation and will include presentations from state, federal and local officials about the statewide drought emergency as well as a question-and-answer session. Officials hope to learn more about how the drought is affecting residents in the northern Olympic Peninsula area, particularly in the Elwha-Dungeness river basin, where streams have been setting record-low daily flows the past few weeks.
Officials also will share information about local water supplies, fire prevention and readiness, and funding programs to meet emergency needs.
"Governor Gregoire recognizes that tribes, irrigators, water purveyors and other water users have been working closely together to conserve water so it is available for a broad variety of purposes in the basin," said Keith Phillips, executive policy advisory to the governor and chairman of the state Executive Water Emergency Committee.
"We are coming to Port Angeles as part of the governor's commitment to communicate openly about this year's drought and to ensure the state puts its response resources to the best public use," Phillips said.
The Port Angeles open house will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 30, at the North Olympic Library Carver Room, 2210 S. Peabody St.
The Executive Water Emergency Committee is chaired by the governor's office and composed of representatives from various state agencies who are responsible for assessing the overall effects of drought and coordinating the state response. The Water Supply Availability Committee is chaired by the Department of Ecology and composed of representatives from various state and federal agencies that monitor water supply, weather and climate conditions.
The committees have held similar joint meetings in Wenatchee, Yakima and Clayton. This will be the first Western Washington community meeting.
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Media contact: Curt Hart, Public Information Manager, 360-407-7139; or pager, 360-971-9610
Ecology Drought and Well-Drilling Hotline: (800) 468-0261
Washington's drought Web site: www.WashingtonDrought.org
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
