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After one of Idaho’s driest years on record and low water supplies, feed was sparse on dryland rangeland after so little rain this summer. The drought and heat are expected to reduce crop yields for many farmers. Idaho Farm Bureau Federation (Pocatello, Idaho), Aug 26, 2021

Communities receiving water from the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company, based in Sunset, lost secondary water supplies on Sept. 1, due to extreme drought and limited water resources. This is the first time the canal company shut off secondary water before Oct. 1. Customers will not get a refund for the water not received. The aim is to conserve water to have adequate drinking water next year. In an average year, runoff is about 324,000 acre-feet, but only 15% of that runoff occurred with Weber Basin being allocated only 7,000 acre-feet. KSL-TV (Salt Lake City, Utah), Aug 31, 2021

Irrigation supplies were minimal in Southeast Colorado. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Aug 31, 2021

Unirrigated crops in Northeast Colorado continued to decline quickly without consistent rain. Low soil moisture ahead of fall planting was a concern, but producers continued preparation for winter wheat seeding. Hot, dry weather hurt pasture and rangeland conditions, leading some producers to seek other grazing arrangements to supplement. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Aug 31, 2021

Elevated fire activity was observed in Northwest Colorado, and feed supplies remained very short. Kiowa County Press (Eads, Colo.), Aug 31, 2021

The State Water Resources Control Board sent formal “curtailment notices” to 4,500 farmers drawing water from the Sacramento or San Joaquin rivers and tributaries, ordering them to end the withdrawals or be fined up to $10,000 daily. The cuts in water use are to conserve water for endangered cold water fish and for people should next winter be dry. The Sacramento Bee (Calif.), Aug 20, 2021

The Sacramento City Council voted on Aug. 24 to declare a Stage 2 ‘Water Alert’ intended to reduce demand on the Folsom Reservoir and Lower American River. The city council also voted in favor of the Regional Water Authority's resolution calling for a 15% voluntary water conservation from residents. A Stage 1 ‘Water Watch’ was issued on July 7 with a voluntary conservation goal of up to 10%. KCRA-TV NBC 3 Sacramento (Calif.), Aug 24, 2021

One of Bountiful’s wells was producing water that contained radium in small quantities. The City Water Department director blamed drought for the presence of the radium, saying that the heavier demand on the well meant that dissolved solids were more likely to seep into the drinking water. KSL-TV NBC 5 (Salt Lake City, Utah), Aug 24, 2021

Residents of Anderson were asked to curb their water use, including lawn watering, because the city’s water treatment plant processed a record amount of water on Aug. 25, prompting the request for conservation. WISHTV.com Channel 8 (Indianapolis, Ind.), Aug 26, 2021

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation on Aug. 16 announced additional fishing closures on the Big Hole River that will remain in effect until Oct. 31. Red Rock Creek in southwest Montana and Shields River near Bozeman have both had sections closed since mid-July. Fishing restrictions were lifted on some western Montana rivers. Sections of the Big Hole River and Beaverhead River will be closed from Nov. 1 until the third week of May 2022 in order to protect brown trout spawning habitats. KHQ-TV NBC 6 (Spokane, Wash.), Aug 25, 2021

Iowa waterfowl hunters will need to scout for good sites because drought has left many wetlands dry or nearly so. KGAN-TV CBS 2 (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Aug 24, 2021

Drought and a late May hard freeze reduced the amount of berries and brackens available for bears in northeastern Minnesota. Bear hunters can expect a lot of activity at their baits. The Timberjay (Tower, Minn.), Aug 25, 2021

Drought has snakes on the move seeking food and water in Southern California with snakes turning up in homes, garages and backyards. KABC-TV ABC 7 Los Angeles (Calif.), Aug 23, 2021

Santa Barbara County residents were seeing more wildlife like coyotes, bears and rattlesnakes as the creatures likely travel further to find food and water amid drought. The San Luis Obispo Tribune (Calif.), Aug 25, 2021

Drought is stressful for Minnesota farmers and ranchers struggling with making difficult choices. A link for mental health help on their Facebook page garnered nearly 2,500 clicks in 18 days as farmers deal with bare pastures and little to no crops to harvest. Telemedicine makes it easier to get support because it can be accessed discreetly. Minnesota Public Radio (St. Paul, Minn.), Aug 25, 2021

Thirty-three lawmakers from the Western U.S. urged President Biden to declare a drought disaster for the West as extreme heat and epic wildfires burn. NBC News (New York), Aug 26, 2021

Reservoirs in Santa Clara County were at a slim 12.5% of capacity, with the Anderson Reservoir at 3% of capacity. While the Santa Clara Valley Water’s Board of Directors declared a water shortage emergency in June and mandated 15% water conservation, water use has not fallen that much. Santa Clara Valley Water serves 2 million people in the county. CBS San Francisco (Calif.), Aug 25, 2021 Mandatory water restrictions were issued for Santa Clara County, due to the low water supply, as a water shortage emergency was declared by the Santa Clara Valley Water District board. Nearly two million people will have to curb their water use by 15%, compared to water use in 2019. The water district also encouraged the county to make its own local emergency declaration as conservation was needed to protect local water supplies. CNN US (Atlanta, Ga.), June 10, 2021

The hot, droughty summer in Montana reduced the survival of pronghorn fawns in some parts of the state. In Region 7 in southeast Montana, the fawn survival rate was down 39%, according to a Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist based in Broadus. In Region 5, in south central Montana, the fawn-to-doe ration averaged 43 fawns per 100 does, which is low compared to a long-term average, dating to 1983, of 60 fawns per 100 does. In Region 6 where drought is more intense, the count in some survey areas was 20 to 30 fawns per 100 does. Fawn numbers were better in areas that received more moisture, like Hunting Districts 650 and 670, ranging from 60 to 70 fawns per 100 does. Poor forage conditions were thought to be responsible for the low fawn survival this year. Animals were also staying within two to three miles of water, and were not present in areas without water. Billings Gazette (Mont.), Aug 22, 2021

Thousands of juvenile salmon were moved from the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery in Geyserville to better waters at a conservation facility at a high school in Petaluma. Drought and the warm waters of Lake Sonoma were not ideal for the fish. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Sacramento, Calif.), Aug 20, 2021

The lightning-caused Balsinger Fire started approximately 5 miles west of Neihart, MT on July 8th, 2021, and was initially managed by a local Type 3 team. The Type 3 the Albuquerque Zone Incident Management Team (or IMT) assumed command of the Balsinger and Ellis Fires, which were under the name Divide Complex. The Type 2 Southern Area Gold Team followed, and they also incorporated management of the American Fork. The Type 1 Southern Area Red Team was next, and they incorporated management of the Woods Creek Fire. On August 12th, Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of the Balsinger, American Fork, and Woods Creek Fires, and under them management of the Ellis Fire was given back to the local ranger district. Following was the Albuquerque Zone Type 3 IMT for command of the American Fork Fire, and the FDNY Type 2 Incident Management Team for the Balsinger and Woods Creek Fires. Lastly, the Balsinger Fire is going back to management by the local Forest Service...