Drought

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Grant and Deschutes counties. The two counties remain gripped by drought conditions as streamflows were 78% of average in Deschutes County and 44% of average in Grant County. Reservoir conditions in the Deschutes Basin are approaching historic lows while soil moisture conditions remain extremely dry. In mid-February, the governor issued the first drought emergencies in 2023 for Crook and Jefferson counties. KOIN-TV CBS 6 (Portland, Ore.), March 24, 2023

The lack of rainfall led Seminole County officials to enact a burn ban prohibiting open fires, including bonfires, campfires and the burning of vegetative debris. The ban took effect as the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reached or exceeded 500. The forecast is for dry weather. Property owners were urged to clear trash and dead vegetation from their yards. Orlando Sentinel (Fla.), March 28, 2023

Randall County commissioners also voted to extend the county’s 90-day burn ban, which would have expired on March 21, but was in effect through June 19. Amarillo Globe-News (Texas), March 28, 2023 The Randall County 90-day burn ban has been in effect since at least Sept. 21, 2022, and will be extended through March 21, 2023. It was prohibited to burn trash, debris and brush in unincorporated parts of the county. KAMR-TV NBC 4 Amarillo (Texas), Dec. 14, 2022

Years of drought have weakened California’s trees, causing trees to fall and injure people, sometimes fatally so, amid the intense series of storms that have hit the state this winter. Strong winds, combined with saturated soils, can allow the drought-affected root system to give way. On March 21, amid a strong storm, trees claimed the lives of five people in the Bay Area. The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.), March 26, 2023

A burn ban was in effect for the unincorporated parts of Osceola County as the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reached 515, with 94% of the county between 400 and 600. All types of outdoor burning were banned, including open fire pits, campfires and the burning of yard debris. As recently as Oct. 1, 2022, the county's average KBDI was less than 100 after Hurricane Ian soaked the county with 15 inches of rain on Sept. 28-29. Osceola News-Gazette (Fla.), March 27, 2023

The city of Waco was eyeing the Brazos River as a supplemental water supply in the event that the level of Lake Waco continued to fall this summer. The lake was nearly 11 feet below normal after 14 months of drought in McLennan County. Stage 2 drought restrictions took effect in July 2022 and may become Stage 3 restrictions by May if the lake level continued its decline. Lake Waco was at 451.2 feet above sea level and was 58% full, which is below the normal elevation of 462 feet. Stage 3 restrictions, which would begin when the level dipped to 449 feet, or 50% full, limits outdoor watering to once weekly. The Brazos River contains salt because it comes from saline springs and would need to be diluted with water from Lake Waco for it to be useable. The city has rights to some water from the river and bought more rights to the river in February 2022. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), March 21, 2023

Southeast Texas fields continued to dry with no rain and mild temperatures. Soil moisture levels were adequate to surplus. Many producers were working on fields for rice planting in the next few weeks. Some early rice planting began. Spring green-up was underway in most areas, but moisture was becoming a concern in some parts of the district. Calf prices were spurred higher by optimism among ranchers, but some still worried about dry summer conditions. Rangeland and pasture conditions were poor to excellent. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 14, 2023

Corn planting in southern and Central Texas began in late February due to warmer-than-normal soil temperatures. Seeds were planted deeper in some fields to access enough moisture to get the crop started. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), March 14, 2023

Stage 2 mandatory water restrictions will take effect in Marble Falls on April 3 and permit outdoor watering twice per week. Stage 1 restrictions began in January. DailyTrib.com (Marble Falls, Texas), March 17, 2023

The Fredericksburg City Council unanimously approved a move to Stage 4 of the city’s Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan due to insufficient rain in recent years to recharge the aquifer. The Stage 4 restrictions will take effect on April 1. Waco Tribune-Herald (Texas), March 21, 2023

The San Luis Valley floor remained dry, and ranges were short on grass. The Prowers Journal (Lamar, Colo.), March 22, 2023

Nevada’s Public Utilities Commission approved plans to begin work on a $333 million natural gas plant for the first time in nearly 15 years as drought continues to reduce hydropower production in the West. Two gas-fired turbines to be constructed north of Las Vegas by NV Energy are anticipated to be operational in July 2024 as the region endures hotter summers and longer wildfire seasons. The state intends to have a carbon-free power grid by 2050, but the ongoing megadrought means that there is less water in the Colorado River and less hydropower being produced at Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam. Roughly 60% of Nevada is powered by natural gas and 30% by renewable energy resources. The Associated Press (New York), March 21, 2023

Some of the winter wheat in northwest Kansas has not emerged, and some may have been lost to winter kill. Great Plains wheat looks tough, per a senior grains and oilseeds analyst with Rabobank. Some has been blown out of the ground and hasn't tillered well. The crop could face challenges similar to last year. Brownfield Ag News (Jefferson City, Mo.), March 21, 2023

Klamath tribes called for their water needs to be met. If the call from these senior water rights holders is successful, the Rogue River Valley and Medford Irrigation Districts could be severely impacted. FOX 26 Medford (Ore.), March 10, 2023

Drought in California has devastated the salmon fishing industry so that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a ban on salmon fishing along the entire coast. The only other time that the entire salmon fishing season was canceled was during 2008-09, another year of intense drought. Last year, 196,000 adult fish were expected to return to the Sacramento River to spawn but only 60,000 showed up. There simply is not enough salmon in the ocean at present to get a good return of salmon to reproduce in 2023. The ban affects more than just fishermen. About 40% of sales are for salmon fishing at the Outdoor Pro Shop in Cotati. In addition, others that sell bait, fuel, ice, boat dealers, boat mechanics and so on, all are affected by the closed salmon season. Salmon take three years to reach adulthood, so the results of this year’s ban on salmon fishing will not be apparent until 2025, according to state wildlife officials. KPIX-TV CBS 5 San Francisco (Calif.), March 12, 2023

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners met on March 7 and signed a state of local emergency and burn ban after the board voted at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 7 to authorize the chairman to enact the burn ban when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reached or exceeded 600. The KBDI was a mean average of 602 on March 9, so the burn ban was enacted for the unincorporated parts of the county and municipalities, due to increasingly dry conditions throughout Southwest Florida. Sanibel Captiva (Fla.), March 15, 2023

Drought in Rhode Island during the 2022 summer affected water quality in ponds, lakes, rivers, streams and shorelines across the state. Drought improved water quality in some locations because pollutants weren’t being washed into the water, while at other sites, the lack of rain worsened water quality as pollutants were not being washed away by storms. The Jamestown Press (R.I.), March 16, 2023

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California announced that it would no longer mandate emergency restrictions on water use for nearly 7 million people after winter storms eased shortage conditions that severely limited the availability of state water supplies. KTLA 5 (Los Angeles, Calif.), March 15, 2023 Harsher water restrictions took effect on June 1 for more than 6 million customers of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California who were asked to curb water use by 35%. The below normal winter snowfall did not refill reservoirs much, leaving the State Water Project offering just 5% of normal allotments. Water users in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties are dependent on water from the SWP and especially need to conserve 35%. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), June 1, 2022 The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California adopted water restrictions to reduce water demand. Water districts are offered a choice for conserving water: water outdoors just one day a week or water usage must be kept below some monthly allocation limit. The restrictions affect the district’s six million customers in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties that depend on water from the State Water Project and do not take effect until June 1. Local water districts must determine how to communicate requirements to customers and enforce the restrictions. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), April 26, 2022 The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has half of the water that it needs to serve customers in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties, according to Rebecca Kimitch, program manager for MWD. Those customers have been asked to limit outdoor watering to one day per week. CNN (Atlanta, Ga.), April 27, 2022

Bartlesville’s water supply continued to decline due to drought conditions in southeast Kansas. The city began a public awareness campaign in December to increase water conservation, but water use has stayed roughly normal for this time of year. The water supply level has fallen from 71% to 63.6%. The City Council might consider modifications to the Water Storage Ordinance and a resolution to enact emergency water rates during its upcoming April meeting. In addition, the new water slides in Sooner Park may not open this year if water levels continue to drop. Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise (Okla.), March 15, 2023 Residents of Bartlesville were asked to conserve water because Hulah Lake was at 65% of capacity, although at this time of year, it’s usually at 90%. The city's water comes from an area of Kansas that is in extreme drought. Bartlesville fire and wastewater departments were also conserving water by not watering parks and closing car washes and wash facilities for city staff. Stricter water conservation measures may be needed if the lake’s water level continues to fall. KOTV-TV CBS 6 Tulsa (Okla.), Feb 24, 2023

February runoff into the Missouri River above Sioux City, Iowa continued to be below normal at 1 million acre-feet, 86% of average. The 2023 runoff is forecast to be 21.5 MAF, 84% of the average of 25.7 MAF. Mountain snowpack that feeds the upper river basin as spring meltwater is near average and ranged from 101% of average to 104% on March 1. The amount of water stored in the river's six reservoirs was 46.0 MAF, below the flood control zone that starts at 56.1 MAF. There is enough water in the river for water supply needs, in spite of the low runoff totals and ongoing water conservation measures, per the corps. Sioux City Journal (Iowa), March 8, 2023