The declaration means that the state believes low snowpack, reservoir levels and streamflow have caused or will cause natural and economic disaster conditions in Klamath County.
鈥淚鈥檓 not surprised,鈥� meteorologist Ryan Sandler said.
I have issued a drought declaration for Klamath County, the first this year and nearly a month earlier than last year. It is already clear from snowpack and streamflow numbers: this will be another difficult year. I am committed to dedicating state resources to help.
— Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown)
Sandler is a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Medford. He said the . The Klamath Basin has had low water years for three years in a row.
鈥淚t鈥檚 being declared early because it鈥檚 extremely rare to find three bad years in a row when it comes to rainfall and snowpack,鈥� Sandler said.
The governor made the declaration at Klamath County鈥檚 request, and based on recommendations by the state鈥檚 Drought Readiness Council and the Water Supply Availability Committee. According to the declaration, forecasted water supply conditions and precipitation levels are not expected to improve and drought is likely to have a significant economic impact on agriculture and natural resources sectors, drinking water, fish and wildlife, and increase the potential for wildfire.
At the end of 2021, meteorologists were hopeful conditions would improve for the Klamath Basin. By the end of December, snowpack was above average.
鈥淲e were really optimistic,鈥� Sandler said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a La Ni帽a year, and usually it鈥檚 wetter and cooler than normal.鈥�
But Sandler said after almost record low precipitation in the first two months of 2022, it became apparent that this would be the second La Ni帽a year to disappoint Southern Oregon.
鈥淕oing into January we thought, 鈥榃e鈥檙e finally out of this thing,鈥欌�� Sandler said. 鈥淭hen it just went bone dry for almost two months, and that鈥檚 why we鈥檙e sitting where we鈥檙e at right now. "
Oregon鈥檚 Department of Agriculture can use the drought emergency to help the county seek federal drought mitigation resources, and assist in agricultural recovery.
Sandler said meteorologists don鈥檛 know exactly what has caused the unusually dry water years in Southern Oregon.
鈥淭hese weather systems, sometimes they just get stagnant and don鈥檛 move and we stay in a dry pattern,鈥� he said.
He also said that warmer temperatures over the decades create drier soil and more evaporation from the water reservoirs. It鈥檚 created a need for more rain and snowpack to compensate.
鈥淚f you look at the bigger picture the last 30 years, we鈥檝e certainly had more drought in the last 10 years than I think we鈥檝e ever seen in southern Oregon鈥�
Rain and snow in the forecast for mid-March may offer some relief for the region, but not enough to reverse the drought by summer, according to Sandler.
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