Gov. Kotek declares drought emergency for Morrow Co.
By Griffin Beach on Monday, August 4th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
SALEM – Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has declared a drought emergency for Morrow County, which allows the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) to offer certain tools to water rights holders in the county. It also allows that state’s and Department of Agriculture to provide assistance.
Some of the tools OWRD can issue include a Temporary Emergency Water Use Permit which allows a water user to temporarily replace water not available under an existing water right, and a Temporary Exchange of Water in which the state’s Water Resources Commission can approve a temporary exchange of existing rights such as using stored water instead of a direct-flow surface-water right.
The Morrow County Board of Commissioners had already declared a state of drought emergency at their July 2 meeting, which allowed them to ask the governor to issue this executive order. Morrow County has issued similar declarations every year since 2020.
