Drought advisory issued for the Palouse

COLFAX — Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) issued a drought advisory for Whitman County and 28 others across Washington.

Year-to-date moisture on the Palouse is tied for the sixth-lowest since 1940. Precipitation from January to present is 6.18 inches, which is tied with the amount recorded in 1994, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In a normal year, the number would average 10.25 inches.

Springtime precipitation is key to maintaining and building soil moisture for the ripening of wheat and other crops on the Palouse. Cattle grazing is another conc...