Inslee declares drought. Dozier says it should have happened sooner

By Terry Murry on Friday, July 16th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

OLYMPIA – A dry spring and summer, followed by a record-breaking heat wave have affected water supplies across Washington, prompting the Washington State Department of Ecology and Gov. Jay Inslee to issue a drought emergency for most of the state. A Republican lawmaker from Waitsburg said the declaration took too long.

Farmers and ranchers without irrigation were among the first to feel the effects of the drought, with some reporting up to a 50 percent loss of wheat crops and difficulty feeding their livestock. Rising water temperatures in the lower Yakima, Okanagan, and Snake rivers reached levels to some fish, including threatened salmon species, according to the state Department of Ecology.

A drought emergency means water supply is projected to be below 75 percent of average, and there is a risk of undue hardship to water users and uses. State Sen. Perry Dozier said the signs were there and Inslee dragged his feet.

“The governor has known how harsh this drought in Eastern Washington has been for over a month now and should have acted sooner,” he wrote. “The United States Department of Agriculture recognized the severity of this situation in late June when it designated 14 Washington counties as primary natural disaster areas due to drought.”

Dozier said that he appreciates the declaration, which will give local growers access to critical resources, but declaring the emergency sooner would have greatly reduced the burden brought on by the drought.