In the Media

A drought emergency declaration is being considered again by Deschutes County commissioners. Approval could help local farmers and ranchers access loans and state support to overcome losses related to the drought, now in its fourth year.

A new report recently released by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife calls for new strategies and policy tools to address consequences of increasing human demand for water and the effects of climate change on Washington’s rivers, streams and salmon.

From late Dec. 2022 into Jan. 2023, a series of nine “atmospheric rivers” dumped a record amount of rain and mountain snow across the western U.S. and Canada, hitting California particularly hard.

The thick, dark clouds that have poured over the Cascades from Western Oregon in winter have provided only mediocre amounts of snowfall in recent years. Now, some hope cloud seeding could turn things around and boost snowpack in times of drought.

Whitley is a native Oregonian who grew up on her family’s small beef ranch in Douglas County. She said the goal of a PhotoVoice gallery is to spark conversation and deepen understanding of the issues facing a group of people.

Moisture this winter provides some hope for a better year but many farmers are leaving the business or cutting production.

In mid-2019, the water delivery system on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation failed spectacularly. Burst pipes and broken water pumps combined to shut down the system, leaving around 3,800 residents of the area without safe drinking water for months on end. After nearly four years, progress is being made.

Tribal nations hold the rights to significant portions of the Colorado River. In the increasing drought, some are showing the way to sustainability.

Communities across Oregon cannot access reliable clean water, and the state doesn’t have a coordinated plan to address the problem, according to an advisory report from Secretary of State Shemia Fagan.