Drought

Drought is a prolonged period of dryness severe enough to reduce soil moisture, water and snow levels below the minimum necessary for sustaining plant, animal, and economic systems. Droughts are a natural part of the climate cycle. In the past century, Washington State has experienced a number of drought episodes, including several that lasted for more than a single season – 1928 to 1932, 1992 to 1994, and 1996 to 1997.

Unlike most states, Washington has a statutory definition of drought (Revised Code of Washington Chapter 43.83B.400). According to state law, an area is in a drought condition when:

  • The water supply for the area is below 75 percent of normal.
  • Water uses and users in the area will likely incur undue hardships because of the water shortage.

Drought can have a widespread impact on the environment and the economy, depending upon its severity, although it typically does not result in loss of life or damage to property, as do other natural disasters.

The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln uses three categories to describe likely drought impacts:

  • Agricultural – Drought threatens crops that rely on natural precipitation.
  • Water supply – Drought threatens supplies of water for irrigated crops and for communities.
  • Fire hazard – Drought increases the threat of wildfires from dry conditions in forest and rangelands.

Drought PhotoAdditionally, drought also threatens the supply of electricity in our state . Hydroelectric power plants generated nearly three-quarters of the electricity produced in Washington State in 2000. When supplies of locally generated hydropower shrink because of drought, utilities seek other sources of electricity, and energy for power generation, which can drive up prices as well as reduce supply.

Unlike most disasters, droughts normally occur slowly but last a long time. Drought conditions occur every few years in Washington. The droughts of 1977 and 2001, the worst and second worst in state history, provide good examples of how drought can affect the state.

On average, the nationwide annual impacts of drought are greater than the impacts of any other natural hazard. They are estimated to be between $6 billion and $8 billion annually in the United States and occur primarily in the agriculture, transportation, recreation and tourism, forestry, and energy sectors. Social and environmental impacts are also significant, although it is difficult to put a precise cost on these impacts. Drought affects groundwater sources, but generally not as quickly as surface water supplies, although groundwater supplies generally take longer to recover. Reduced precipitation during a drought means that groundwater supplies are not replenished at a normal rate. This can lead to a reduction in groundwater levels and problems such as reduced pumping capacity or wells going dry. Shallow wells are more susceptible than deep wells. About 16,000 drinking water systems in Washington get water from the ground; these systems serve about 5.2 million people.

Reduced replenishment of ground water affects streams. Much of the flow in streams comes from groundwater, especially during the summer when there is less precipitation and after snowmelt ends. Reduced groundwater levels mean that even less water will enter streams when steam flows are lowest.

A drought directly or indirectly affects all people and all areas of the state. A drought can result in farmers not being able to plant crops or the failure of the planted crops. This results in loss of work for farm workers and those in related food processing jobs. Other water or electricity dependent industries are commonly forced to shutdown all or a portion of their facilities resulting in further layoffs. A drought can spell disaster for recreational companies that use water (e.g., swimming pools, water parks, and river rafting companies) and for landscape and nursery businesses because people will not invest in new plants if water is not available to sustain them. Also, people could pay more for water if utilities increase their rates. With much of Washington’s energy coming from hydroelectric plants, a drought means less inexpensive electricity coming from dams and probably higher electric bills.

Tips and Information about Droughts

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