Oregon
governor expands drought declaration
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[April 07, 2015]
By Courtney Sherwood
PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - Oregon Governor
Kate Brown declared a drought emergency on Monday in three southern and
central Oregon counties, expanding upon earlier drought declarations the
Democrat made in March, as the state faces record low snowpack levels.
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Continuing drought has caused "natural and economic disaster
conditions" in Oregon's Crook, Harney and Klamath counties,
heightening wildfire risk, and threatening wildlife and agriculture,
Brown said in her declaration.
"Oregon's unusually warm and dry winter has potentially dire
consequences," Brown said on Monday.
The drought declarations in Oregon come as below-average rain and
snow levels have threatened agriculture in parts of the U.S. West.
A spring storm was expected to bring several inches of rain to some
areas of drought-parched California and up to two feet of snow to
mountains beginning late on Monday, just days after Governor Jerry
Brown ordered sweeping cuts in water use.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Apr/07/images/ads/current/pest_control_bch_092414.png) In Washington, Governor Jay Inslee last month declared drought
emergencies for regions of his state, north of Oregon.
Brown has placed Malheur and Lake counties in southeastern Oregon
under drought emergency since mid-March.
According to Oregon's Water Resources Department, snowpack statewide
is at less than 50 percent of its normal level, and a number of
lakes and reservoirs are nearly empty, posing threats to endangered
fish within the region.
In some cases, the drought has also uncovered long-buried historic
sites.
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The town of Klamath Junction, which was abandoned in 1960 to make
way for an irrigation project and had been under water for more than
half a century, has been gradually re-emerging since late last year.
Building foundations and scattered debris are now visible on a muddy
plain that is normally under water.
(Reporting by Courtney Sherwood; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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