April 30, 2021 5:00 p.m.
Douglas County is the seventh county to declare an emergency drought order in Oregon this year.
County Commissioners approved the order during last Wednesday’s weekly business meeting. Governor Kate Brown has already declared drought emergencies in Jackson, Lake and Klamath counties and has pending emergency drought order requests from Gilliam, Umatilla and Wheeler counties.
Douglas County Commissioners have submitted a copy of the order to Governor Brown, requesting an official executive order from the State for the County. The Governor’s drought declaration will allow increased flexibility in how water is managed to ensure that limited supplies are used as efficiently as possible. The Governor’s executive order will also authorize state agencies to expedite water management tools to users who would not otherwise have access.
The local order cited that there is the potential for Douglas County agricultural and livestock, natural resources, recreational, tourism, and related economies to experience widespread and severe damage resulting from extreme weather conditions and diminishing stream flows within the county. The annual water supplies available for irrigators and ranchers in the county are from winter snow pack, which is significantly lower than normal in the Umpqua Basin. The commissioner’s release said a large share of the county’s economy is dependent upon the agricultural sector, which will be adversely affected by the low snow pack, water levels and rainfall. These conditions will result in the loss of economic stability, decreased feed and pasture production, a shortened growing season and decreased water supplies for agricultural, livestock and vineyard producers.
Current predictions by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are that drought within the local region will persist or intensify and could also dramatically increase wildland fire danger due to higher than normal temperatures and below average precipitation.
To read a copy of the emergency drought order: https://douglascounty-oregon.us/DocumentCenter/View/7526/04-28-21-Douglas-County-Emergency-Drought-Order?bidId=