The Okanogan Conservation District, in partnership with the Washington Departments of Ecology, State Health, Fish and Wildlife, Washington State Conservation Commission, and Washington Emergency Management Division, will host two drought information open houses on May 9 and 10. The May 9 open house will be at the Twisp Valley Grange, while the May 10 event […]
drought
Record high temperatures cause major runoff in NW
April produced record high temperatures throughout the entire Pacific Northwest, causing much of the remaining snowpack to melt and run off, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Over 80 percent of all SNOTEL (snowpack measurement) sites with at least 15 years of data set new melt rate records for April …
High temperatures melt previous optimism about summer water supplies
The hefty mountain snowpack that blanketed mountains around the Methow Valley at the beginning of April has rapidly melted away during the warm weather of recent weeks.
On April 1, the snowpack in the upper Columbia River basin, which…
State assesses concerns about groundwater
A review of last year’s drought impacts shows a decline in groundwater in eastern Washington, even though stream flows in creeks and rivers have rebounded to more normal levels this spring, according to the Washington Department of …
Above-average snowpack bodes well for summer
With an ample snowpack and forecasts for continued snow in the mountains, the prospects for a drought-free year in Washington look more promising every day.
As winter turns the corner and heads into spring, the statewide snowpack average is 110 percent of normal, and the Okanogan Basin leads in snowpack accumulation with 148 …
Snowpack levels above normal after heavy storms
A series of storms that dumped snow on the North Cascades during the second half of December helped bring the mountain snowpack to well above normal and eased fears about another year of extreme drought in Washington.
In the Upper Columbia Basin, which includes the Methow Valley, snowpack readings are 139 percent of normal for …
Help available for farmers and ranchers affected by drought and fire
Farmers and ranchers affected by the drought may be eligible for assistance through a federal disaster program. The Emergency Conservation Program helps orchardists and ranchers who have such severe damage that their trees or livestock will not survive without additional water. The program provides different types of cost-sharing for measures such as pipeline installation or […]
News briefs: October 21, 2015
Eagles host memorial benefit for firefighters The Methow Eagles will host a memorial benefit for the three firefighters who died in the Twisp River Fire on Aug. 19, and for injured firefighter Daniel Lyon, on Oct. 31 at the Eagles Aerie in Twisp. The event costs $10 and includes a lasagna dinner, baked goods auction, […]
Rivers cooling off for fish, but low water levels still a problem
By Ann McCreary Water temperatures in Methow Valley rivers and streams have returned to near normal seasonal temperatures, and as a result the “hoot owl” fishing restriction imposed last month by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has been lifted effective Wednesday (Sept. 16). In the Methow Valley, the hoot owl restriction prohibited fishing […]
Rescue effort relocates fish stranded in Methow, Twisp rivers by drought
State fish and wildlife officials rescued almost 2,000 fish last week that were stranded in pools of water as stretches of local rivers go dry in the drought. About 300 fish — juvenile spring Chinook, steelhead, and bull trout — were rescued and relocated from the upper …
