More important than ever

The state has declared a drought emergency.

Snowpack has been at record lows in many areas. In fact, more than 70 percent of the snow monitoring stations have reported record low snowpack.

The official state prognosis for the year is not good. Maia Bellon, director of the Department of Ecology, says that as bad as it is now “conditions are likely to get worse.”

The drought can jeopardize municipal water supplies, orchards and vineyards could be seriously impacted, crop losses are possible and fish populations face hardship.

It is a statewide emergency. The emergency order will remain in effect at least until the end of the year.

The northwest has suffered dry years before, but this may be one of the driest and most serious droughts.

The drought brings some things into focus. One of them is the vast reserve of water that stands behind the dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

Even in the driest of years, these dams can provide water for irrigation, fish habitats, transportation and power generation.

Some people overlook these benefits when the rains come, the snowpack whitens the mountains and the rivers are full.

We should count our blessings that the dams still stand. This year, they may be more important than ever.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher