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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2015)
March 20, 2015 Drought declared in 2 Oregon counties By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown announced March 17 that she declared a drought emergen- cy in Lake and Malheur counties in southeastern Oregon. Oregon received an average amount of precipitation since the fall, but warmer tempera- tures caused more rain than usu- al. As a result, the state is head- ed into summer with less snow than many areas need. Snowpack has already peak- ed for the season, and it hit re- cord lows in many locations in the Cascades and elsewhere across the state, according to a federal report. “In a year such as this when there is limited snowpack, sum- mer streamflow volumes are expected be below normal and streams will likely peak earlier than normal,” the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service wrote in a March basin report for Oregon. “Rainfall over the next couple months may help improve reservoir storage and increase streamflows during the storm events, but it will not help with streamflow this summer.” Brown’s signature of the drought declaration Monday came after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a drought declara- tion Friday for three regions of that state: the Olympic Peninsu- la, on the east side of the central Cascade Mountains including Yakima and Wenatchee, and the Walla Walla region. Capital Press Sean Ellis/Capital Press In Oregon, Lake and Mal- heur county commissioners had requested the drought dec- laration. Officials in three other counties — Crook, Harney and Klamath — are considering whether to ask the state to in- clude them in the drought des- ignation, said Racquel Rancier, senior policy coordinator for the Oregon Water Resources De- partment. Requests from coun- ties are reviewed by the state drought council, which in turn issues recommendations to the governor. Brown said in a press release Tuesday that projected forecasts in Lake and Malheur counties “look bleak.” “In addition to creating an increased wildfire risk, this drought presents hardships to crops, agriculture, communities, recreation, and wildlife, all of which rely on Oregon’s water resources,” Brown said. “I will continue working with federal, state, and local partners to help Oregonians in this part of the state through this challenging situation.” The drought declaration al- lows state water managers to use additional tools to help farmers and other people who face wa- ter shortages. Options include speeding up decisions on water permits and issuing emergency temporary permits for people who cannot access water using their permanent rights because of the drought. For example, someone who usually diverts water from a stream that ran dry could apply for a temporary groundwater permit, Rancier said. The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Me- dia Group and Pamplin Media Group. 7 Washington governor declares drought in three regions By DON JENKINS Onions are planted in a field near Nyssa, Ore., in Malheur County March 5. Drought emergencies were declared Tuesday in Mahleur and Lake counties. CapitalPress.com OLYMPIA, Wash. — Gov. Jay Inslee March 13 declared a drought emergency in three parts of the state, paving the way for agencies to dig wells, transfer water rights and take other actions to counteract the state’s first drought in a de- cade. The drought declaration applies to the Olympic Penin- sula; the eastside of the central Cascade mountains, including Yakima and Wenatchee, and the Walla Walla region. “We can’t wait any longer, we have to prepare now for drought conditions that are in store for much of the state,” In- slee said in a written statement. “Snowpack is at record lows, and we have farms, vital agri- cultural regions, communities and fish that are going to need our support.” Precipitation has been nor- mal or above average through- out the state, but a warm winter has kept snow from accumulat- ing. “What we’re experienc- ing is essentially a snowpack drought,” Washington Depart- ment of Ecology Director Maia Bellon said in a conference call reporters. Don Jenkins/Capital Press Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday declared a drought in three regions of the state. In a press release March 13, the governor’s office re- ported that the snowpack in the Olympic mountains was just 7 percent of normal. Bellon said updated figures showed the snowpack was 4 percent of nor- mal. Snowpack ranges from 8 to 45 percent of normal across the Cascades, and is 67 percent of normal in the Walla Walla re- gion. Washington State Depart- ment of Agriculture hydrogeol- ogist Kirk Cook said July and August may be a problem for high-value crops, such as tree fruit, in the eastern drought zones. Actions in the spring could prevent summer water shortages, he said. A DOE committee met March 10 and reviewed expect- ed supplies in 62 watersheds. Outside northeast Washington, water supplies are expected to be below or barely above nor- mal. Many watersheds were put on a watch list. Seasonal weather forecasts call for Washington’s spring to be drier and warmer than aver- age. State Climatologist Nick Bond said warm ocean waters off the coast “stacks the deck” in favor of a warm spring. “I would say there’s an 80 or 90 percent chance. Nothing is 100 percent,” he said. He said spring snow is pos- sible, but unlikely to have much impact on total snowpack. “We can add to it, but it would be rare to add a lot to it.” Ecology has requested $9 million in drought relief from the Legislature. The money would pay for agricultural and fish projects, emergency wa- ter-right permits and transfer- ring water rights. Bellon said DOE has not identified any specific projects and is working on that now. It’s unclear when money will become available. Lawmakers are at least several weeks away from passing a 2015-17 spend- ing plan, which wouldn’t take effect until July 1. Bellon said she hoped legislators will autho- rize spending before then. S.E. Asia, Taiwan rep to meet with Idaho exporters By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press BOISE — Idaho business- es interested in the Southeast Asian or Taiwan markets are invited to schedule a meeting with Eddie Yen, manager of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s Asia trade office. Yen, who has 25 years of experience with helping Idaho businesses gain or maintain trade access, will be available for in-state appointments on March 31 and April 3. ISDA trade specialist trade specialist Kim Polzin said companies should submit their requests to meet with Yen by March 20, either by emailing her at kim.polzin@ agri.idaho.gov or by calling her at 208-332-8532. Yen, based in Taipei, Tai- wan, had his trade office ex- panded to also cover South- east Asia last summer, Polzin said. Polzin said trade office di- rectors help coordinate trade shows, provide market infor- mation and research, act as a helper on the ground for Idaho companies and develop rela- tionships with government of- ficials, which come in handy when problems surface, such as shipments stuck in ports. ISDA also has trade offices in China and Mexico. Trade office directors typically re- turn to Idaho twice each year. Polzin said 25-35 companies usually will meet with Yen when he visits. She said about half of the companies are interested in learning information about exporting to a new market. Others are interested in mar- ket trends, or the status of cus- tomers. Polzin said Taiwan usually ranks within the top five ex- port markets for Idaho goods, though not specifically for agricultural products. For ag- ricultural exports in Southeast Asia alone, Indonesia ranks as Idaho’s No. 6 export mar- ket, the Philippines ranks No. 8, Vietnam ranks No. 9 and Malasia ranks No. 10, Polzin said. She said top agricultur- al exports are dairy products, frozen vegetables, dehydrat- ed potatoes and other pota- to products and wheat. She said there’s been significant growth in value-added prod- ucts exported from Idaho, such as wine and confection- ery products. 12-2/#4N