Drought

Water conservation was encouraged as Utah’s reservoirs were 75% full, which was slightly above the median for this time of year. Gov. Cox noted that yellow lawns were acceptable this summer. KSL.com (Salt Lake City, Utah), July 17, 2025

The City of Siletz declared emergency water restrictions Friday, July 18, due to ongoing drought conditions and record low levels in the Siletz River from which the municipality draws its water. Under the emergency water curtailment notice, households were limited to 10,000 gallons of water per month. The Siletz River was at a 130-year low. Residents of Toledo, a community that also pulls water from the Siletz River and Mill Creek, were urged to conserve water. The Seal Rock Water District, which draws water from Beaver Creek and is the largest water district in the county with 5,500 customers, has also sent notices to its customers requesting that they conserve water. Lincoln Chronicle (Yachats, Ore.), July 21, 2025

The Georgia Pacific mill in Toledo stopped pumping water from the Siletz River the weekend of July 12 as the Siletz River was extremely low. Lincoln Chronicle (Yachats, Ore.), July 21, 2025

A countywide burn ban took effect in Teton County and will remain in effect through September 30. Recreational fires and outdoor cooking were allowed in designated fire rings or UL approved cooking appliances. Given the drought conditions, the public was asked to be especially careful with fires outdoors. Teton Valley News (Driggs, Idaho), July 22, 2025

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed a bill on Friday, July 18, that has the potential to increase water supplies for farmers in Jefferson County who have dealt with low water allocations due to multiyear drought. The bill authorizes water managers in Central Oregon to create a water bank to shift irrigation water to farmers in Jefferson County who operate in a junior water rights district. Growers who do not need their water, and are willing to part with it, are paid a fee by the end user. The Bend Bulletin (Ore.), July 22, 2025

The Blaine County commissioners in a July 3 letter asked Idaho Department of Water Resources director to declare a drought emergency for the county. A drought emergency declaration would allow temporary changes to the use of water rights to ease drought impacts. The flow in the Little Wood and Big Wood river basins was roughly half of average in early July. Based on a June 10 analysis, Magic Reservoir was expected to deliver water through August 23 for the season. This winter’s snowfall was average, but the runoff was rapidly absorbed by the soil. The drought emergency declaration was approved for Blaine County on July 14. Idaho Mountain Express (Ketchum, Idaho), July 12, 2025

A state of emergency was declared at the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation due to drought. Cattle were dying from an absence of grass and water, so ranchers were hauling water, hay and nutrients to the livestock. Wells were being drilled to access more water. Acorn and pine trees were stressed by drought also. 12News (Phoenix, Ariz.), July 18, 2025

The level of Canyon Lake has risen more than a dozen feet due to recent rainfall after being at its lowest in 60 years. Boat ramps closed for more than a year have reopened. The lake was 46% full three months ago, but was 67% full on Friday, July 18 after rising nearly 14 feet. KSAT 12 Online (San Antonio, Texas), July 18, 2025 Canyon Lake remained low, and all boat ramps were still closed. Spectrum News 1 - Austin (Texas), June 16, 2025 The last open public boat ramp on Canyon Lake has closed due to the low level of the lake. Ramp 18 in Canyon Park no longer safely reaches the water allowing boats to be launched. "As of October 30th, the lake level is at 882.42 and there is less than 14 feet of concrete ramp remaining with a severe drop off at the end. At this time, we have made the difficult decision to close the ramp completely effective November 1st, as we do not believe it will be safe to use for launching any watercraft. If the lake rises this fall/winter, we will absolutely consider re-opening the ramp for public use," according to a statement from the Water-Oriented Recreation District. Texas Public Radio (San Antonio), Nov 11, 2024

Douglas water users were alerted to the potential for water restrictions due to the current drought conditions. Area snowpack was below average, and the forecast for rain was not optimistic. The city’s groundwater resources rely on winter snowmelt and spring rain to replenish groundwater supplies. The City of Douglas Parks Department was aiming for a 30% reduction in irrigation for the city parks. The city was striving to acquire more water rights and bolster the water supply for the City of Douglas. Douglas Budget (Wyo.), April 29, 2025

Gov. Spencer Cox urged Utahns to “please, please, please be vigilant” while recreating on public lands across the state as drought conditions worsened amid an already busy wildfire season. This year was shaping up to be the state’s most active wildfire season in five years as 574 wildfires blackened more than 83,000 acres through the morning of Thursday, July 17. KSL.com (Salt Lake City, Utah), July 17, 2025

The Spokane River has dropped below 1,000 cubic feet per second, triggering public notification of Level 2 suggested watering rules outlined in a water conservation ordinance. Under Level 2 watering rules, outdoor watering was not permitted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Outdoor watering was only allowed two days per week for up to two hours per day. Water may not be used to clean pavement, decks or patios. MySpokane (Wash.), July 17, 2025

Wallowa County commissioners officially declared a drought emergency on July 16. Local ranchers anticipated needing to begin feeding hay to livestock in September, nearly four months earlier than last year. Elkhorn Media Group (Pendleton, Ore.), July 17, 2025

Although Union County had a strong snowpack mid-winter, the spring growing season was unusually dry. Over the past 60 days, nearly all parts of Union County received less than half of their normal precipitation. Consequently, crop yields were already reduced, and irrigation stream flows are declining rapidly. Elkhorn Media Group (Pendleton, Ore.), July 17, 2025

This year was shaping up to be Utah’s most active wildfire season in five years as 574 wildfires blackened more than 83,000 acres through the morning of Thursday, July 17. KSL.com (Salt Lake City, Utah), July 17, 2025 Utah has had more than 380 wildfires that have burned over 43,000 acres so far this year. The fires significantly stressed farms, ranches, rangelands and wildlife habitat across Utah. Gephardt Daily (South Jordan, Utah), June 27, 2025

Russell was in a stage II water warning because one of its two water sources, Big Creek, was no longer flowing over the low head dam downstream from the city’s water intake system. KSN.com (Wichita, Kan.), July 16, 2025

Clallam Bay/Seiku and Island View water systems were under stage 3 and stage 4 drought alerts. Water may need to be trucked in for the system’s water customers in a matter of days. Peninsula Daily News (Port Angeles, Wash.), July 16, 2025

Weather conditions in Southwest Texas were hot and dry, with temperatures in the 90s and strong, gusty winds. Row crops improved some with earlier rain but were drying out quickly and showing signs of stress. Corn and sorghum harvests should begin soon. Feed corn was harvested, and the residue was baled for straw. Trees were beginning to suffer from drought stress. Pecans were developing well. Pasture and range conditions improved following recent rains. Hay harvest was in full swing, and hay grazer also neared the cutting stage. Livestock markets were steady to higher. Livestock grazed on pastures with some supplemental forage. Deer fawns looked healthy. Armyworms and high numbers of grasshoppers were reported. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), July 1, 2025

Nearly a dozen rivers in western Montana and some rivers in Yellowstone National Park were under restrictions or closures on July 9 after the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks declared that parts of Upper Rock Creek, the Clark Fork River, the Bitterroot River and all of Silver Bow Creek were closed to fishing after 2 p.m. to protect fish during the hottest hours of the day. The day before, hoot owl restrictions were announced for stretches of the Ruby, Big Hole, Beaverhead and Smith rivers and for the entirety of the Jefferson River. The Sun River and the Madison River, possibly Montana’s most popular angling destination, were placed under hoot owl closures particularly early this year on July 2 for the Sun River and June 19 for the Madison River above Hebgen Lake. Montana Free Press (Helena, Mont.), July 14, 2025 More hoot owl fishing restrictions are being implemented in western Montana as water temperatures rise. Sections of the Ruby, Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Smith Rivers will be off limits for afternoon fishing. The state and Butte-Silver Bow County will begin releasing an additional 32 cubic feet/sec from Silver Lake into Warm Springs Creek, a tributary of the Clark Fork River, for the next 47 days to reduce pressure on fisheries, wildlife, farms, ranches, and other residents amid a multi-year drought. NewsTalk KGVO (Montana) July 9, 2025

Drought caused the early termination of dryland fields in Texas. Dryland fields in the Winter Garden area struggled. Wheat yields in the Blacklands area were lower due to drought during the winter and early spring. Yields were very low in Central Texas. AgriLife Today (College Station, Texas), July 1, 2025

The Turner Gulch Fire was the largest fire burning in Colorado after quadrupling in size overnight, exploding to cover 8,140 acres on Tuesday, July 15. Two wildfires burning on either side of the Unaweep Canyon in Mesa County led to the closure of Colorado Highway 141 at Mile Post 124, south of Grand Junction. The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office ordered evacuations and issued pre-evacuation orders in the area. Drought conditions, dry fuels and high winds were contributing to extreme fire behavior. Summit Daily (Colo.), July 15, 2025