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Drought and the high cost of labor have devastated the pear industry in the Rogue Valley. Harvest was about 25% of normal, and the fruit was smaller and of a lower grade. Irrigation water only flowed through early summer as intense heat gripped the valley. A pear grower in Talent opted to pull out the pear trees on his 75 acres near Talent. Medford Mail Tribune (Ore.), Oct 6, 2021

The East Bay Municipal Utility District announced that it would begin drawing water from the Sacramento River to increase water supplies. Through February, EBMUB intends to pump 35,250 acre-feet, or about 11 billion gallons, of water, which may affect the taste or smell of the water. The price tag for purchasing and delivering the supplemental water is nearly $15 million, which is being covered by budgeted operations costs. The district intends to pursue additional water transfers for 2022. EBMUD provides water for 1.4 million people in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and usually pulls from the Mokelumne River. KPIX-TV CBS 5 San Francisco (Calif.), Oct 4, 2021

Los Angeles shifted its water use and began using less from the State Water Project in favor of using more stored Colorado River from the Metropolitan Water District. The switch leaves 20,000 acre-feet available from the SWP for use by communities. Southern Californians were urged to redouble their conservation efforts and continue to use less water. Los Angeles Times (Calif.), Oct 6, 2021

Drought and heat have reduced trout streams in the US West to slower, warmer ribbons of water than usual. Yellowstone National Park, Montana and Colorado imposed fishing restrictions to limit stress on the fish during the hotter times of day, but Idaho and Wyoming did not. A guide and trout fisherman who usually fishes the upper North Platte River in Wyoming hasn’t done so since late June, due to low water levels that would require dragging the boat in some stretches of river. Associated Press News (New York), Sept 6, 2021

Outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease have been found in white-tailed deer and pronghorn in eastern Wyoming, announced the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The disease is transmitted by midges that live around small water sources where wildlife congregate amid hot, dry weather. Wildlife managers see some level of disease annually in big game, but this year is worse, but the outbreak was just starting, according to a supervisor in the department's Wildlife Health Laboratory. Casper Star Tribune (Wyo.), Oct 4, 2021

The hot, dry summer allowed the growth of numerous algae blooms mostly in northern Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reported 24 swim advisories at state park beaches this summer due to the presence of microcystins, toxins produced by harmful algae. That count is twice the number of swim advisories as in 2020. Cedar Rapids Gazette (Iowa), Sept 7, 2021

Drought and low water levels on the Flathead River near Kalispell, Montana exposed human remains. Associated Press News (New York), Sept 7, 2021

The state’s curtailment of Sacramento and San Joaquin river diversions drew lawsuits from eight irrigation districts in and near Stanislaus County, along with San Francisco. The three filings claim that the State Water Resources Control Board overstepped its authority with the Aug. 20 orders. The plaintiffs also said they did not have adequate opportunity to make their cases for continued diversions. The Modesto Bee (Calif.), Sept 8, 2021

Minnesota bears are preparing for winter hibernation and are being more widely seen this year as drought limited their food supplies. In northeastern Minnesota, it’s the second consecutive dry year for bears, in addition to a hard frost in May. Minnesota Public Radio (Minneapolis), Sept 5, 2021

The number of sage grouse at leks was 13% lower this spring, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The reduced lek attendance was anticipated, due to the sage grouse's cyclical population trend and drought. Billings Gazette (Mont.), Sept 8, 2021

White-tailed deer in the Northwest are dying of viruses that often occur after hot summers and drought. Rates of bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, are high among deer, which contract the viruses from biting gnats. There have also been reports of diseased black-tailed deer in Central Oregon. Northwest News Network (Portland, Ore.), Sept 8, 2021

California lawmakers approved spending more than $2 billion for wildfire prevention and to deal with the ongoing drought as more of the state’s largest and most destructive wildfires continue to occur as has been happening in recent years. CBS Sacramento (Calif.), Sept 9, 2021

Alfalfa seeds produced in the Walla Walla area were severely impacted this year, due to drought and heat. Yield may be down about 20%. The Walla Walla Valley produces around 25%of the United States’ alfalfa seed, according to a grower in the Gardena area south of Touchet. Walla Walla Union-Bulletin (Wash.), Sept 5, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Sept. 8 its plans to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing, due to severe drought. USDA is updating the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) to immediately cover feed transportation costs for drought impacted ranchers. ELAP already covers the cost of hauling water during drought, and this change will expand the program beginning in 2021 to cover feed transportation costs where grazing and hay resources have been depleted. Tri-State Livestock News (Belle Fourche, S.D.), Sept 17, 2021

Historic drought and heat in Oregon have severely diminished the growth of tall fescue, prompting concerns about a possible worldwide grass seed shortage. A grower in Shedd reported that his crop yield was 50% to 55% of normal. According to the Oregon Seed Council, the state produces about 600 million pounds of grass seed annually, comprising a significant portion of the world's product. KEZI (Springfield, Ore.), Sept 3, 2021

Drought led many New Mexico ranchers to sell livestock as it was too expensive to feed them. Even after an active monsoon season, roughly two-thirds of the state remained in moderate to extreme drought. Drought conditions decrease animal growth, diminish forage opportunities for livestock, increase the cost of production and decrease calf prices, according to a report from the New Mexico State University Department of Animal and Range Sciences. Santa Fe New Mexican (N.M.), Sept 7, 2021

Corn growth in Minnesota was severely stunted by drought, but can still be used for livestock feed. FOX 9 (St. Paul, Minn.), Sept 8, 2021

There were 41,000 fewer acres of cotton planted in California in 2021, as reported by the USDA in its Planted Acres report in late June. Drought and water concerns likely contributed to the reduction, which followed a 20,000 acre reduction in 2020. Cotton Grower (Memphis, Tenn.), Sept 3, 2021

A Routt County ranching couple was unable to grow enough hay and was considering culling their herd, despite adopting best management practices for soil health and water efficiencies for years. The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colo.), Sept 5, 2021