Dept. Of Ecology Declares Drought For Washington State for Fourth Consecutive Year

Following a mild winter which produced a well-below-average snowpack in the mountains, the Washington Department of Ecology has issued a statewide emergency drought declaration.

The action comes as water supply levels are projected to fall well short of summer demands.

Although the winter was relatively snowless, it did prove to be quite wet, in delivering 104% of average precipitation from October to February.

However, winter rains do not equate to spring runoff, and with long-term forecasts predicting above-normal temperatures with below-average precipitation through the summer, the prospects for a serious water shortage in the state in 2026 look grim.

“If you look at our mountains, the challenge we are facing is clear,” Governor Bob Ferguson said. “We’re taking emergency action to protect fish, farmers and communities across Washington.”

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Deep mountain snowfall that accrues over the winter provides gradual melting that helps in filling streams, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water and their reservoirs in the spring, which in turn provides plenty of water for both aquatic life and irrigation for agriculture.

Without the snow, however, little runoff is created, which in turn leads to harsher conditions for both fish and other marine life, as well as farmers on dry land.

Washington's rules for the declaration of a drought must meet the minimum threshold of less than 75% of normal water supplies, and this year the state is well below that mark at just 52%.

“Going into April with half of our usual snowpack is alarming,” says Ecology's director, Casey Sixkiller. “Without enough snow in the mountains, we must prepare for widespread shortages and challenges across our state. Issuing a drought emergency now helps water users prepare for what is likely to be a very difficult summer. This is becoming an all-too-common experience and is another example of how climate change is visibly reshaping our landscape.”

Meanwhile, Karin Bumbaco, deputy state climatologist with the Washington State Climate Office at the University of Washington, says the state is not only lacking in snowpack but the snow it did receive is expected to melt rapidly as temperatures warm during the spring.

“Precipitation has been basically normal when averaged statewide, but it’s been really warm,” Bumbaco said. “After our warmest December on record, we finally began to build snowpack in early January before an extended mid-winter dry spell through early March stopped snow accumulation in its tracks. Even the heavy snowfall in mid-March was not enough to make up multiple months of poor snowpack growth, and early spring warmth has melted much of those gains. The weather progression this winter has lined up to deliver very challenging conditions going into spring and summer.”

Snowpack conditions in Washington this year are being considered as more severe than those that were present last year, when a drought was also declared for the Yakima River Basin in early April prior to being expanded to include roughly half the state in June.

By declaring the drought emergency, Ecology is able to distribute emergency response funding through grants and expedite the processing of emergency water rights permits and transfer applications.

Ecology is making up to $3 million in emergency response grants available to eligible public entities.

2026 marks the fourth consecutive year that all or part of the state has been under a drought declaration, and is the fourth statewide drought emergency since 2015. Seven of the past 10 years have also seen drought in all or part of the state.