Department of Ecology News Release - Sept. 25, 2001 01-168
OLYMPIA - Following is the Department of Ecology's (Ecology) final weekly report about the status of drought conditions in Washington, assistance provided by state agencies, and what citizens can do to conserve and share water.
Washington continues to be in a state of "drought emergency" that Ecology declared on March 14. That declaration will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2001.
Meanwhile, Oct. 1 is the beginning of a new water year. The water year of Oct. 1, 2000, through Sept. 30, 2001, was among the lowest water years on record, for all rivers in Washington. It was the lowest water year ever recorded for the Wenatchee River.
"We are through the most difficult months of this year's drought, with the agricultural-irrigation season behind us," said Doug McChesney, Ecology's drought coordinator. "Now we are waiting to see what the coming months hold for replenishing our water supplies for people to drink, generating electricity and for other uses."
Washington requires a great deal of water in the fall and winter months to generate electricity. McChesney said there is no indication that the weather in the coming fall and winter months will be unusual. He said he hopes to get enough water to supply the state's drinking water and electrical needs in the next several months.
McChesney added that it is too early to predict whether the drought will continue into 2002.
The 1977 drought was the worst on record, but in some respects the 2001 drought comes close to surpassing the 1977 drought. Following are some data about how the drought affected Washington state by late September 1977 compared to late September 2001.
In 1977, total precipitation received at most locations from October 1976 through September 1977 ranged from 50 to 75 percent of normal levels, and in parts of Eastern Washington as low as 42 to 45 percent of normal. By the end of September 1977, water supplies in streams returned to near normal in Eastern Washington and well above average in Western Washington, but flows declined in early October due to dry weather.
2001: Since October 2000 through mid-September 2001, precipitation has been 56-74 percent of normal. Water levels remain below normal for most Eastern Washington rivers. The Yakima River basin was slightly above record lows set in 1994. This year, some water-right holders received only 37 percent of their normal water supplies, which allowed other water-right holders to get their needed supply. Fifty thousand acre-feet or less of water will be in storage in the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's five reservoirs, compared with 300,000 acre-feet at the end of the 2000-irrigation season.
In 1977, a $410 million loss to the gross state product was estimated over a two-year period. Forecasters predicted that the aluminum industry would be hit the hardest, with major losses in agriculture and service industries, including a $5 million loss in the ski industry.
2001: Because of drought conditions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency is recommending that producers consult with their local crop insurance agent by Oct. 1 regarding federally subsidized multiple-peril crop insurance for acreage affected by the continuing drought. Dry soil conditions have impeded the planting of winter wheat in some counties, and livestock producers are running low on pastures.
Meanwhile, the Roza Irrigation District began shutting down Monday, Sept. 24, nearly a month earlier than normal.
In 1977, 13,000 jobs were expected to be lost because of layoffs in the aluminum and agricultural industries.
2001: 2,000-3,000 aluminum smelter workers lost their jobs at the Kaiser and Vanalco plants. Economic uncertainty, energy supplies and the drought contributed to the job losses.
In 1977, 1,319 forest fires had burned 10,800 acres. The Washington Department of Natural Resources fire-fighting activities involved more than 7,000-person hours and cost more than $1.5 million.
2001: As of Sept. 19, Washington's federal, state and private forests had 1,162 fires that burned 223,857 acres.
In August and September 1977, water levels at the Goldendale and Spokane trout hatcheries were down. Fish had difficulties passing through Kendall Creek, a tributary to the north fork of the Nooksack River.
2001: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is currently installing an aerator at the North Toutle hatchery on the Green River and a water re-use pump at the Puyallup hatchery to address low-flow problems caused by the drought. Those modifications, financed with state drought-relief funds, should be the last in a series of drought-related measures taken at a dozen state hatcheries this summer, said Chuck Johnson, WDFW hatcheries operations manager.
"The steps we're taking at North Toutle, Puyallup and other hatcheries should see us through until the rain starts falling," Johnson said. "In some cases, we had to move fish to other facilities to protect them from high temperatures and disease, but right now we feel that the situation is pretty much in hand."
In 1977, Ecology issued 517 temporary ground-water permits to help farmers and communities drill more wells.
2001: Ecology issued 172 temporary emergency water-right permits and changes of existing water rights.
Ecology's drought Web site:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/drought/droughthome.html
Governor's drought Web site: http://www.governor.wa.gov/drought/drought.htm
Ecology's drought hotline: 800-468-0261
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