PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Drought conditions, which covered all of Oregon at the start of 2023, have been slowly clearing up — but that doesn’t mean the whole state is in the clear.
On Wednesday, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared drought emergencies in Wasco and Harney counties, calling for aid in those areas. This comes as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s U.S. Drought Monitor reports a whopping 83% of the state is still abnormally dry or worse.
Twenty-three percent of Wasco County is currently in moderate drought, but 49% is in severe drought. That’s an almost 40% increase in severe drought area coverage.
Harney County, meanwhile, is experiencing worse conditions with the entire county seeing some level of drought conditions and some areas seeing extreme drought conditions.
Directly in the middle of Oregon, Crook County is seeing the worst conditions with the entire county in the extreme drought category. Kotek issued a drought emergency for the county back in February, marking the first such declaration of 2023.
The lack of precipitation has caused decreased streamflow and soil conditions, which the governor’s office said would have a huge economic impact on farms, ranches, vineyards recreation, tourism and natural resources.
The conditions also increase the risk of fires in the area, which will make summer a dangerous time across the state.