OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Department of Ecology declared that central Washington is under a drought emergency for the third year in a row, according to a news release.
While Ecology reports that snowpack in watersheds that feed reservoirs is at near normal levels, it will not be enough to fully replenish or rejuvenate soils, in combination with back-to-back droughts in 2023 and 2024.
“The time for miracles has passed,” said Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller. “We hoped we’d recover this winter from the compounding deficits of back-to-back droughts. But we’ve simply run out of time for Yakima and nearby areas. Reservoirs in that region are still just half-full, so we need to take action now to prepare for drought and deal with those impacts.”
Reservoir storage in the Yakima area is currently at 59 percent of normal, the fifth-lowest level since 1971. This will be the first time since the drought framework was put in place that the region has seen three years of droughts in a row.
The west side is also seeing a drought advisory, specifically in Pierce, King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Okanogan and Chelan counties.
Ecology recommends building good conservation habits, including turning off the faucet while brushing teeth and running the dishwasher only when it’s full.
