Gov. Brown declares drought in Deschutes, 7 other counties

Governor Kate Brown on Friday declared drought emergencies in eight additional Oregon counties, including Deschutes, due to drought, low snowpack levels and low water conditions.

With these eight new counties, Oregon has almost doubled the number of drought declarations made in 2014. The new counties are Deschutes, Grant, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Morrow, Umatilla, and Wasco.

“The majority of our state is parched due to the warm winter and lack of snow,” Brown said. “As we move into summer, many areas of the state are going to dry out very quickly, likely leading to a difficult fire season as well as water shortages. We need our state, local and federal partners to be prepared as our communities grapple with hot and dry conditions.”

The drought means water shortages for farming and ranching operations, as well as to low river and stream levels. While recreational areas around the state are open for business as we head into Memorial Day weekend, long-term forecasts continue to call for temperatures well above normal.

In an effort to raise awareness of the dire conditions that Oregon faces this summer, Governor Brown is releasing a public service announcement to launch the “#ORdrought” campaign. State agencies will begin using the hashtag #ORdrought across social media to keep Oregonians informed and prepared to adapt to drought conditions.

Following requests from the eight counties, the Oregon Drought Council reviewed current water conditions, future climatic forecasts, and the effects of water shortages on local economies. The Oregon Drought Council, chaired by the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, meets regularly to assess water conditions around the state.

In the first four months of this year, Governor Brown declared drought emergencies in seven counties: Baker, Crook, Harney, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, and Wheeler. In 2014, a total of nine counties were under drought emergencies.

The governor’s drought declaration allows increased flexibility in how water is managed to ensure that limited supplies are used as efficiently as possible. In addition, the governor is working with Oregon’s federal delegation, state agencies, local governments and other partners to coordinate efforts and mobilize actions to address drought-related issues.

More information about the drought management tools made available as a result of the declaration can be found at the Oregon Water Resources Department’s Website at: http://www.oregon.gov/owrd/pages/wr/drought.aspx#State_Drought_Declaration_Process