The Washington Department of Ecology has expanded the drought emergency that was first declared in April, now encompassing areas in the North and Central Cascade Mountains as well as parts of the Puget Sound region.
The initial drought declaration for the Yakima Basin watersheds occurred on April 8, with a drought advisory issued for the Puget Sound area and various parts of the Central and North Cascades.
Since that time, conditions have worsened across all of Whatcom and Skagit counties, along with portions of Snohomish, King, Pierce, Lewis, Thurston, Okanagan, Chelan, Clallam, Jefferson, and Ferry counties.
This deterioration stems from an early and rapid snowmelt combined with an unusually dry April and May.
Warmer-than-normal temperatures in April contributed to a significant and early thaw, with snowmelt occurring two to four weeks ahead of the typical schedule across the Central and North Cascades.
This shift in snowmelt patterns leads to diminished water availability during the crucial summer and early fall months, when water is most needed for agriculture and fishery conservation.
“With an especially early spring snowmelt, we saw the need to take action to protect water supplies for the hot months ahead,” stated Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller.
He emphasized that expanding the drought declaration will enable more areas within the state to access essential tools and funding needed to address the impacts of drought, thereby supporting Washington’s farmers, fish populations, and communities reliant on snowmelt for water.
Drought conditions are officially declared when water supply falls below 75% of normal, leading to undue hardship for water users and the environment.
The current conditions meeting these criteria have been identified in 19 watersheds, including the Nooksack, Lower Skagit-Samish, Upper Skagit, Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Cedar-Sammamish, Duwamish-Green, Puyallup-White, and others.
Regions serviced by the water utilities in Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett remain under a drought advisory, though these utilities do not foresee any significant impact on customers due to proactive management of snowpack levels and reservoir storage.
Caroline Mellor, Ecology’s statewide drought lead, pointed out that the current drought is primarily fueled by deficiencies in both snowpack and precipitation.
While springtime snowmelt is typical, the unprecedented rate of melting seen in the last two months has allowed snowpack to vanish as much as 33 days earlier than usual in certain river basins.
In addition to rapid snowmelt, April precipitation has been notably low across different regions.
Data shows precipitation was only 26% of normal in the eastern Cascade Mountains, 25% of normal in Central Puget Sound, and a mere 14% of normal in the Dungeness watershed.
With low streamflow forecasts anticipated in various regions, projections for the Chelan River indicate 63% of normal flow, while the Methow River stands at 71%, Stehekin River at 68%, and Okanogan at a troubling 48% as of June 1.
The outlook for the coming months is also concerning, as warmer and drier conditions are predicted from June through August, intensifying the current stressors affecting many watersheds.
Mellor remarked on the significance of these developments, illustrating how snowpack drought impacts water supply stability in Washington.
Research suggests that the state may experience snowpack drought conditions approximately 40% of the time by 2050.
“Even in the Evergreen State, our summer and early fall water supply reliability is diminishing compared to historical standards,” she added.
Agricultural impacts due to drought conditions are serious, with concerns for the health of Washington’s $14 billion agricultural industry.
“Expanding the drought declaration is a necessary step to help preserve the crops already in production and ensure our farmers have the support they need during this critical time,” stated Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison.
He acknowledged the immediate challenges posed by the drought while framing this situation as a chance to enhance water supply management and build resilience for the future of agriculture in Washington.
The declaration of a drought emergency allows Ecology to disburse drought emergency response grants to public entities and expedites the processing of emergency water right permits and transfer applications.
Ecology has allocated up to $4.5 million in drought emergency response grants for eligible public entities to address current water supply challenges.
However, Mellor cautioned that residents should not treat droughts as unpredictable emergencies, indicating that Washington’s water supply infrastructure is based on precipitation and temperature patterns that are increasingly unreliable.
This marks the third consecutive year where concerns regarding snowpack deficits and early melt-off have created pressing water supply issues in Washington.
“While today’s drought declaration unlocks tools to deal with the immediate emergency, the frequency of snowpack droughts in Washington is climbing, urging us to plan for the long-term water supply needs,” Mellor said.
She concluded by asserting that even in western Washington, snowpack droughts are becoming a consistent challenge, necessitating preparedness for future water supply uncertainties.
image source from：https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/news/2025/june-5-drought
