Baker County declares drought, directs staff to file reports with state water panel

Baker County commissioners voted Wednesday to declare a drought for the county and directed staff to file the appropriate reports with the state water resources process. The motion was moved, seconded and approved unanimously.

Commissioners discussed local hydrology observations and recommended that agricultural producers use the U.S. Drought Monitor reporting link to submit field observations to help better reflect local conditions on the national maps. A board member noted that the county would submit a drought declaration to the Water Availability Draft Council (staff phrased it that way) which would then forward recommendations to the governor’s office for any statewide determination.

The board’s action was a local declaration and an administrative direction to county staff to complete the filing process; the motion did not by itself change county spending or trigger emergency spending authority. Commissioners said additional state-level steps were required for broader emergency assistance programs and that the declaration would allow state water resources staff to evaluate requests for emergency movement of water and related resources.