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Drought emergency declared in more counties in Washington

More counties, including King, Snohomish, Pierce and Thurston, as well as some in central Washington, have been placed under a drought emergency.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Department of Ecology expanded a drought emergency Thursday to include more counties in Washington state, particularly on the west and central portions of the state. 

Ecology previously declared a drought for the Yakima Basin watersheds in April

Since then, conditions in Whatcom, Skagit and portions of Snohomish, King, Pierce, Thurston, Okanogan, Chelan, Clallam, Jefferson and Ferry counties have deteriorated due to "early and rapid snowmelt," particularly across the North and Central Cascades. 

This means that less water will be available in summer and early fall when farms and fish need it the most. 

The areas served by Seattle, Tacoma and Everett water utilities are still under a drought advisory, which, according to Ecology are informational and don't include emergency authorizations or funding. These utilities have healthy water storage, and the city of Everett said it expects it will have enough water for people and fish this summer.

Ecology's Statewide Drought Lead Caroline Mellor said the rate of snowmelt over April and May has been "unusually rapid," with snowpack melting away more than a month earlier than expected in some river basins. Precipitation levels for the spring were also below normal. 

April precipitation was only 26% of normal for the Eastern Cascades, 25% of normal for the Central Puget Sound and 14% of normal for the Dungeness Watershed. 

The lack of precipitation can be seen in stream flow forecasts around the state - the Chelan River is only at 63% of normal, the Methow River is at 71%, with the Stehekin River at 68% and Okanogan at 48% as of June 1.  

Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller said issuing the declaration now gives the state access to more tools and funding to deal with drought impacts. 

Conditions are expected to remain warmer and drier than normal through August, likely exacerbating current drought conditions in many watersheds. 

“Even in the Evergreen State, our water supply is now less reliable in the summer and early fall than it was historically,” Mellor said. “We see the need to build resilience not for the possibility of water shortages, but the reality.” 

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