Washington State Is So Screwed

[JimDandy]

Washington State Is So Screwed
—By Tom Philpott

| Wed Apr. 22, 2015 9:50 AM EDT

California's been getting all the attention, but it isn't the only agriculture-centric western state dealing with brutal drought. Washington, a major producer of wheat and wine grapes and the source of nearly 70 percent of US apples grown for fresh consumption, also endured an usually warm and snow-bereft winter.

The state's Department of Ecology has declared "drought emergencies" in 24 of the state's 62 watersheds, an area comprising 44 percent of the state. Here's more from the agency's advisory:

...The drought regions include apple-heavy areas like Yakima Valley and the Okanogan region. Given that warmer winters—and thus less snow—are consistent with the predictions of climate change models, the Washington drought delivers yet more reason to consider expanding fruit and vegetable production somewhere far from the west coast.

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/04/washington-state-drought-apples-snowmelt

Interesting that Washington State is the third highest fruit producing state and the third highest vegetable producing state in the nation.

[KT2000]

1. the Olympics

look like it is July. Not much agriculture here now but it is the fish in the rivers Iworry about.

[JimDandy]

8. You know we're in trouble if the Olympic Forest

is having problems this early.

What is the fish situation exactly? Haven't been over to the western part of the state since last year.

[KT2000]

9. Several rivers

have been under restoration for the last several years. You probably know about the Elwha where the dams were removed. The fish have immediately returned to their old spawning grounds. They did not expect that but apparently it is still in their DNA.

The Dungeness is probably the one that will have the most problems. They have already spent about $11 million restoring the natural course of the river and they have rerouted the irrigation water back into the Dungeness for the fish. But the water situation in the whole valley is not good. All new builds must buy water rights from farmers who hold large land parcels. It will be a fight between the homeowners, productive farms, and the needs of the river this summer I'm afraid.

The county has not announced any solutions yet but at 6% snowpack they will have to come up with something but it may not make sense.
A company is actually planning to install a hideous geoduck farm in the mouth of the Dungeness River - right in the path of the migrating fish. The geoduck company is involved in trade with China so they will likely get the OK - even though it has the potential to cause problems for the fish.

[2naSalit]

2. I did a

post-grad internship with WDOE back in the early 2000s. When they make a call on water issues, they aren't messing around.

[JimDandy]

3. Yes, indeed.

Already hear the worried rumblings from the Yakima Valley. Not so much from the Palouse, though...yet.

[2naSalit]

4. The Palouse

has been in trouble for a while and the upper valley, near Spokane, has been in trouble as long... if it isn't lack of water, it's the downstream issues from the tailing of the Idaho mining district directly east of there. I recall the meetings about PCBs in the Spokane River and how the signs along the river should be worded regarding how much and what parts of the fish were considered unsafe. Lots of Asians there and Ukrainians and they make soup with the heads and fatty parts that contain the highest concentrations of contaminants.

I was at the ERO at Spokane then.

[DebbieCDC]

5. I live in western Washington

When I heard earlier this year the DOE announcement that we were in a drought situation, I thought what further proof could people need of climate change other than

a drought
in Washington State
in winter

When the rain capital of the country has a drought declared in the middle of winter, you know you are screwed.

[JimDandy]

7. I know.

The Spokane River will be up a creek later this season.

[progressoid]

6. My sister lives in the SE corner.

They're holding on, but it's getting scary.