Wednesday,June16,2021
Columbia Gorge News
DROUGHT
Continued from page 1
is one of several complet-
ed and more planned
in the group’s proposed
20-year action plan. More
information is at hoodriv-
erwatershed.org/our-work/
water-conservation.
■ Hendrixson is working
with local landowners to
reduce waste and increase
cooling shade in streams.
Grants are available — up to
$15,000 — to help with irri-
gation, manure storage and
mud management. Providing
simple stream crossings for
cattle, for example, is among
ways to improve water quali-
ty and reduce erosion.
■ If well-users draw down
groundwater during the
drought, will it also impact
river and stream levels,
Perkins asked. Studies so far
are inconclusive, he said,
and need follow-up. Past
studies have monitored 60 of
the nearly 500 well-users in
the county, but more studies
need to be made to create
accurate models.
■ Drought conditions are
already clogging his irri-
gation pipes, according to
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is
offering $41.8 million to help agricultural produc-
ers in Oregon, Arizona, California, Colorado with
immediate impacts of the historic drought condi-
tions. Fund applications are available as part of the
federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP) through local offices of the Natural Resources
Conservation Services.
“As ongoing drought conditions in Oregon continue
to worsen, we knew we needed to increase our sup-
port to farmers and ranchers in dealing with drought
and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow,” said Ron
Alvarado, NRCS state conservationist in Oregon.
NRCS will set aside $11.8 million directly for
drought-related practices. Practices include forest stand
improvement, woody residue treatment, tree and shrub
establishment, brush management, prescribed grazing,
pasture and hay planting, range planting, livestock
watering systems and cover crops.
Gorge-area producers who are interested in this tar-
geted funding can contact USDA Service Center Service
Centers in The Dalles, 541- 298-8559, and in Parkdale,
541-352-1037. For more information about the Oregon
EQIP program, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/
nrcs/detail/or/programs/financial/eqip.
Oates. “Our water is just too intake, it is difficult to irrigate
darn dirty,” he said. When al- with conservation-friendly
gae and organic matter from drip or spray methods.
warm and low flows clog the
Klickitat County was among 28 counties included in a Washington Department of Ecology (DOE)
drought advisory announcement May 21.
DOE graphic
Trees For Sorosis
Jacob Bertram
■ By Columbia
Gorge News
County, while 2021 has been
measured as the 25th driest
year in the same time span,
The U.S. Drought Monitor, suggesting an earlier dry
as of Thursday June 8, put the season this year.
On May 21, Klickitat
eastern portion of Klickitat
County in "extreme drought" County was among 28 coun-
conditions, the second
ties included in a Washington
highest category of drought
Department of Ecology
severity behind "exceptional" (DOE) drought advisory
drought. Western parts of
announcement.
the county were measured at
According to the an-
"abnormally dry" conditions, nouncement, A drought
to "moderate" and "severe"
advisory provides early warn-
drought conditions from west ing of a possible drought.
to east.
It promotes awareness and
According to the U.S.
readiness for water users
Drought Monitor, April
in areas where drought
2021 was the 13th driest
conditions are developing.
April in 127 years of record-
Drought advisories are infor-
mational only, and include
ed conditions in Klickitat
no emergency authoriza-
tions or funding. This is the
first time the Department of
Ecology has issued a drought
advisory since it received the
authority to do so from the
Legislature in 2020.
There are growing con-
cerns for farmers and ranch-
ers in Eastern Washington,
according to the DOE
announcement. Early obser-
vations of crop stress and ex-
pectations for reduced yields
are being reported, said
Water Resources Planner Jeff
Marti. Marti said he’s already
heard anecdotal accounts of
problems from wheat farm-
ers and hay producers.
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Students at Dry Hollow raised $3,000 to purchase trees at Sorosis Park in The Dalles. Classes compet-
ed to raise funds, with the winning class choosing which staff member got to "kiss the pig." The pig,
Penelope, was provided by River City Saloon owner Clare Kirkwood. Pictured Left to Right: Dry Hollow
Principal Ajay Rundell, Dry Hollow student council treasurer Rivers Kohltfarber, Scott Baker, NWCPR
district director, Carter Crowe, student council president, Eithan Oseguera, student council class rep-
resentative, and third grade teacher Emily Stewart.
Contributed photo
CHIEF
Worthy familiar
with community
Continued from page 1
all over the region. The
Dalles Area Chamber of
Commerce, which represents
the business community, is
another important relation-
ship to maintain because
“public safety is economic
development.”
It is also important to
Worthy to continue the
collaborative relationships
with community resources
such as The Mid-Columbia
Center for Living, who in the
past has provided guidance
and training for officers to
safely handle crises concern-
ing mental health, as well
as HAVEN, who can provide
support in the event of do-
mestic violence.
“We want to make sure
that the right resource is
attending to the correct
problem, and it might not
always be law enforcement,”
he said. “We might be a first
responder, but we may not be
the ultimate resolution. The
officers are very well advised
and practiced in contacting
mental health [or other]
professionals when they need
to.”
Like the community,
Worthy is still getting to
know the department he has
recently taken over, but has
created goals in a few areas,
one being to update the cur-
rently used technology.
“I recognize and acknowl-
edge the challenge and
expense those projects can
bring to an agency, and I also
recognize this department
could improve in terms of its
use of technology in some
areas,” he said. “Technology
moves fast, and we need to
keep pace with it. Not be-
cause we need new or shiny
things, but because of the
efficiency and accountability
that those tools add for us.”
One benefit to installing
software such as newer
Microsoft Office applications
is that officers would be able
to implement tools such as
voice-to-text, which could
save significant time when
drafting reports. “It has the
potential for returning time
to the agency where they
can be out in the community
keeping it safe, rather than
typing out a report which is
what we do now,” Worthy
explained.
Another goal he has in
mind is to eventually earn an
accreditation for The Dalles
Police Department. “I want to
ensure that the department is
functioning at the absolutely
optimal level.” Worthy said.
“The formalized process
ensures that any ‘blind spots’
that we (or I) may have are
covered. Accredited agencies
enjoy less risk than others
may and we can demon-
strate to our community our
commitment to excellence
through this process, as
well as potential new officer
candidates.”
To achieve accreditation,
the department would need
to go through a process in
which outside experts eval-
uate and grade department
policies, procedures and
work products on sever-
al different components.
According to Worthy, the
process could take up to two
years. “I think that we’re well
poised to achieve accredita-
tion,” he said, “but we have
to go through the work first,
and we have to prove it to the
accreditation evaluators, and
so we are going to launch that
process sometime this fall.”
When asked if he had any-
thing he would like to share
with his new community,
Worthy said that the police
department has their back.
“We’re always here, they can
always call us,” he said. “With
wisdom, and compassion, we
are going to serve the com-
munity every single day [and]
with our community partners
— of course we can’t do it
alone — we want to keep this
community as safe as possi-
ble every day of the year, no
matter what the time.”
M C N EALY E XCAVATING 360-837-1613
86th Annual
86th Annual
86th Annual
Ketchum
Kalf
R
ODE O
Father’s Day Weekend
June 19 & 20, 2021
June 19 &
20, 2021
Glenwood,
Washington
Glenwood,
Washington
June 19 &
20, 2021
Glenwood, Washington
Saturday & Sunday
Grand Entry 12:30 pm • Shows start 1 pm
General Admission Prices
General
Admission Prices
Adults ...................................................
$10
Adults (ages
...................................................
$10
Kids
6 Admission
-12 ) ............................
$5
General
Prices
Kids
6 -12 ) .......................
............................
$5
& under)
FRee
Kids (ages
( 5 ...................................................
Adults
$10
Kids (ages
( 5 & under)
FRee
6 -12 ) .......................
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Kids ( 5 & under) ....................... FRee
Kids Games • Sunday Only
Western Beer Garden with Live Music
Camping sites available • $10 per day
Rodeo Entry
Junior Open Barrel Racing
Ages 8 to 13 - $25
To enter call 509-364-3427
Shawna Roberson Memorial Buckle
awarded to Jr Barrel Race Winner.
“Tye” Murray Memorial Jacket
awarded to Top Money Winner!
Cowboy
Breakfast
6:30 am - 10 am
Sunday
Glenwood School
Cowboy
Church Service
9 am - 10 am
Sunday
Rodeo Hall
For more information call
509-364-3363 • 509-364-3427
M ANY THANKS
Rodeo
Parade
11 am Sunday
Downtown
Glenwood
NPR A
NPR A
NPR A
TO OUR S PONSORS LISTED HERE !
2 • T RI
AD E QU IPMEN
T 800-221-8512 • A ND
REW
S HVAC 509-493-3744
L ES S CHWAB T IRE 541-386-1123 • C OLU MBIA
K 509-493-2500 • F
F UN
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OUNTRY P
P OWER
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PORTS 541-298-1161
541-298-1161
R IAD
IPM ENT
N DR
EWS
MBI A B AN
ANK
Wash. drought advisory
includes Klickitat County
Over
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Funds help
farmers with
drought
Officials discuss
solutions
M I ID
D C OLU MBIA
E 541-386-2477 • G LEN
WOOD
AL S TOR E 509-364-3535 • J OEL P ATT
ERSON
Y 509-865-6664 • T OPPEN
ISH L IVESTOC
K 509-865-2820
MBI A M AR
ARI IN
NE
LENW
OOD G ENER
EN ERAL
AT TER
SON M ASONR
ASON RY
OPPENISH
IVEST OCK
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