Drought

A salvage order was issued for Mormon Reservoir and Fish Creek Reservoir in the Magic Valley Region. While a lot of the reservoirs would typically be stocked with fish in the fall, water temperatures will be too high and water levels too low for stocking fish. Hatcheries, however, need to put the fish somewhere. In southeast Idaho, water temperatures were too high for trout, which need temperatures below 70 degrees, so staff put out most of the fish in June rather than stocking some in August. Idaho State Journal (Pocatello), July 9, 2021

Idaho’s hatchery and fishery managers were forced by the drought, heat and low water levels to stock fish in different areas or adjust the schedule for the fishes’ survival. Instead of stocking Mackay Reservoir, which was near 17% of capacity, hatchery staff took the fish to upper Big Lost River streams. Idaho State Journal (Pocatello), July 9, 2021

Bozeman city commissioners voted in favor of declaring a stage two drought, which would mean restrictions on outdoor watering times and surcharge water rates with the goal of reducing water use by 20%. The hot, dry weather strained Bozeman’s water system with projections indicating that the city could use up to 75% of the available supply in Hyalite reservoir by the end of the 2021 irrigation season. Drought intensity increased rapidly enough that commissioners skipped stage one drought and started with stage two, which began on July 16. The city will also curb its outdoor water use by 30% to 40%. Bozeman Daily Chronicle (Mont.), July 13, 2021

Wells began running dry two months ago in a southwest Boise neighborhood. The wells were about 50 years old and were about 50 feet deep. The aquifer has not been replenished, due to development. The quotes for a new well ranged from $20,000 to $25,000, but the wait for a new well is 13 months. KTVB-TV NBC 7 (Boise, Idaho), July 12, 2021

Just two boat ramps were open at Lake Oroville as the water level continued to fall to 667 feet of elevation on July 14. KCRA-TV NBC 3 Sacramento (Calif.), July 14, 2021

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources planted 50% fewer trout in Ken’s Lake in March and April, due to drought and warmer water temperatures. Fall fish plants will also be reduced. Moab Sun News (Utah), July 15, 2021

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department urged anglers to monitor water temperatures and stop fishing when water temperatures exceed 70 degrees. Low flows, warm water above 75 degrees and reduced oxygen can be lethal to trout. Buckrail (Jackson, Wyo.), July 12, 2021

The Old Faithful geyser in Calistoga typically erupts every 15 to 30 minutes, but during drought is “a little less faithful.” It is one of three such geysers in the world, with the most famous one at Yellowstone and another one in New Zealand. A geyser is formed when there is volcanic activity beneath the groundwater. KXTV-TV ABC 10 Sacramento (Calif.), July 12, 2021

The waters of Folsom Lake receded low enough to reveal Mormon Island, a Gold Rush village, settled in the 1840s by prospectors. Some of the exposed remnants were building foundations, bricks, broken pottery and rusty nails. The town was flooded in 1955 when Folsom Dam was constructed and was most recently visible in September 2015 during drought. KRON4 (San Francisco), July 13, 2021

More Utahns were encountering cougars as the cats search for water in more populated areas. Associated Press (New York), July 13, 2021

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Rural Finance Authority Board on July 14 declared an emergency due to the dry conditions, which made available zero-interest loans for farmers in drought-affected areas. The Brainerd Dispatch (Minn.), July 15, 2021

Gov. Tim Walz and most of Minnesota’s congressional delegation requested that USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack allow livestock farmers to use CRP lands for emergency grazing and haying in areas where drought was categorized as D2 or worse. The Brainerd Dispatch (Minn.), July 15, 2021

Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced an emergency declaration for wildfires and mobilized National Guard firefighters, due to extreme drought, heat, numerous wildfires and limited firefighting resources. KXLY-TV ABC 4 (Spokane, Wash.), July 8, 2021

A Kernville fly fishing school and guide service were suspending guide operations due to high water temperatures that can be lethal to the fish. California Fish and Wildlife stopped stocking the Kern River with fish, due to warm waters. KMPH FOX26News (Fresno, Calif.), July 13, 2021

The State Water Resources Control Board released an “emergency curtailment” order that would deprive thousands of farmers of the use of rivers and streams in the Sacramento and San Joaquin river watersheds. Exceptions will be made for drinking water and other human needs. The action was taken to protect drinking water and endangered fish. A board will vote on the order on Aug. 3, and the order could take effect about two weeks after that, or around Aug. 17. Even during California’s last drought, regulators did not cut farmers off like this. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.), July 23, 2021

Idaho Fish and Game staff trapped some of the endangered sockeye salmon migrating up the lower Snake River on their way to central Idaho and took them to the Eagle Fish Hatchery rather than the Sawtooth Basin and Hatchery near Stanley. The goal was to increase survival this year instead of allowing the fish to succumb to rising water temperatures in the Snake and Columbia River systems. Drought may cause ungulates to distribute differently than normal. Summer ranges may not offer as much forage, leading them to seek food in other areas. Deer and elk breeding and populations may be affected. Wildfires could also consume forage that the animals need. Food plots grown for waterfowl and other migrating birds headed to southern parts of North America were behind schedule in terms of growth, despite being watered. More wildlife, such as bears, were also turning up in residential areas, looking for food. Idaho State Journal (Pocatello), July 9, 2021

Trees at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum were stressed from lack of rain. An Ohio buckeye tree dropped nearly all of its leaves, while a small ginkgo tree required prolonged watering to save it. KARE-TV NBC 11 (Minneapolis, Minn.), July 14, 2021

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife moved 1.1 million juvenile, fall-run Chinook salmon from the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County, due to drought and warm, low flows in the Klamath River. The fish were taken to the Trinity River Hatchery. KRCR-TV ABC 7 (Redding, Calif.), July 15, 2021

Seventy wildfires burning in the U.S. have consumed more than a million acres and were being battled by more than 17,700 firefighters and support personnel. The Bootleg Fire in southern Oregon, the largest wildfire burning at present, blackened more than 225,000 acres. The blaze has exhibited extremely dangerous fire behavior. A heat dome was expected to build over the northern Rocky Mountains over the weekend and into next week, which will make firefighting even more dangerous and difficult. USA Today (McLean, Va.), July 16, 2021

Stage 2 fire restrictions went into effect on the Coeur d’Alene Fire Restriction area started on July 12. The restrictions included all state, federal and private forestland and rangeland in Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai, Shoshone and Latah counties. This also includes National Forest System lands in Washington and Montana that are administered by Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The restrictions were implemented by agencies managing lands or providing wildland fire protection in the area, including the Bureau of Land Management, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Lands, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. KXLY-TV ABC 4 (Spokane, Wash.), July 8, 2021