drought

The Oregon snowpack, and specifically the southern Oregon snowpack, is looking great for this time of year.  According to NRCS-Oregon, the Lake County-Goose Lake Basin is at 147% of average, the Owyhee is 140% of normal snowfall, and the Harney Basin is sitting at 156% of average.  In fact...

When it comes to the snowpack in Washington’s higher elevations, it’s not looking bad; but it’s also not looking fabulous.  That’s how Scott Pattee with NRCS-Washington is describing the statewide snowpack, which is sitting at 99% of average.  Pattee noted while the Northwes...

The Northwest remains very dry with two dozen days to go to spring.   According to the latest drought numbers, 92% of Oregon is Abnormally Dry, while 77% of the state is under a D-1, or Moderate Drought, designation.  Both of those figures increased over the past week.  Meanwhile, S...

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has declared drought emergencies for Crook and Jefferson counties in the central portion of the state. That now directs agencies to prioritize assistance to the region. Both counties requested the declaration in January...

Central Oregon’s Crook County remains the only place in the western United States under a D-4, or Exceptional Drought, designation.  And again, county leaders have asked for a state drought declaration.  County Judge Seth Crawford says he’s also talked with the Governor about funding a biomass plant that would use juniper trees to create power, but more studies are needed.   “Then we can go to dif

Dry conditions continue for much of the Pacific Northwest.  But for one state, soil moisture conditions have returned close to normal.   According to the latest USDA numbers, 34% of Washington is considered abnormally dry for this time of year.  That is a dr...

With recent systems moving in from the Pacific, is the west going to break free from drought?     If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com 

Some basins have seen a drop, percentage wise, in their snowpack from December to this month.  Most of that decrease occurring in western Oregon.   So, why the drop?   “So, we have been seeing some warmer temperatures in comparison to what we had in November and December," noted Matt Warbritton is with NRCS Oregon. "But we're just getting ...

Oregon senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkely as well as Washington’s Patty Murray joined 11 others this week sending a letter to the USDA about the western Drought and conservation priorities.  The lawmakers are asking the agency to give parity to the urgent priorities of Western growers and communities through existing authorities, new funding, and collaboration across government.     “The... Read Mor

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says there was considerable improvement in the U.S. drought monitor during the month of November.  He noted between November 1st and the end of the month, drought coverage dropped 5.3 percentage points to 57% of the country being categorized as dry our drought.   “...