Recent rains make little impact on seriousness of state's drought

The latest long-range forecasts for conditions through August point to "normal" rainfall, but with temperatures that are above average for the area. Further, record-high temperatures in late May "melted more of the already record-low mountain snow pack," according to the National Weather Service.

In Klickitat County, the stream flow for the Klickitat River is in a category characterized as "very low to a record low."

Bruce Chandler, who represents the 15th District in the Washington Legislature, noted that White Salmon is right in the transition zone between the normally relatively wet western part of the state and the drier eastern part.

"At this point in the year, it's very difficult to get enough rain to make a substantial difference," Chandler said. "The recent rain caused grass to grow fast, now there is a bit of a fuel load. We're very concerned."

Chandler said he anticipates that many public water systems around the state will need to place restrictions on low priority water uses such as watering lawns and washing cars, for example.

"Everybody is trying to minimize water use, hoping to just scrape by," Chandler said. "As a state, we need to make sure we're prepared for a timely response. The key issue in dealing with fire is that this is statewide. Every part of the state is dry."

Doug McChesney, drought coordinator for the Washington Department of Ecology, said no one should be fooled by conditions so far this spring.

"The statewide emergency declaration was based more on projections of what will occur this summer than on what we have experienced so far," McChesney explained. "We either lost our critical mountain snow pack much earlier than usual or it never accumulated at all."

Bingen Mayor Brian Prigel said at this point, no restrictions on water use were planned.

"It's too early to tell," Prigel explained. "It partly depends on White Salmon's capacity too. We're buying water from White Salmon. They say it's not a problem, at least at this point."

Chandler spoke for many when he expressed frustration with the ongoing lack of significant snowfall and rain in recent years.

"I hope we get some relief next year," he said.