03/11/05 Drought declaration for Washington

03/11/05 Drought declaration for Washington

Washington Ag March 11, 2005 Saying we need to start taking action now, Governor Christine Gregoire yesterday authorized the declaration of a statewide drought emergency due to the record low snow pack and record low streamflows in the state. . The emergency declaration means the Department of Ecology has to decide emergency water transfer and emergency well use requests within 15 days. The Department can also take applications for state loans and grants to help irrigation districts and others purchase water. Governor Gregoire says she plans to ask the legislature to approve another eight-point-two million dollars in funding to support the drought response this year. Gus Hughbanks, Natural Resources Conservation Service state conservationist, says the drought declaration can make it possible for some USDA funds to flow to Washington. Hughbanks: "There is the Emergency Conservation Program, the Emergency Watershed Program. And Rural Development has some other programs that can kick from the perspective of ensuring good domestic water supplies as well." The departments of Agriculture, Health and Fish and Wildlife will work with Ecology to help identify where actions or investments need to be made to address water shortages, and the Washington Conservation Commission will work with local conservation districts and individual farmers to conserve and deliver irrigation water more efficiently. I'm Bob Hoff.
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