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Washington agencies warn of low mountain snowpack despite wet winter precipitation
Summary
State climate and water officials told the Columbia River Policy Advisory Group that warm, rain‑dominated December storms produced high precipitation but left mountain snowpack well below normal — statewide snow water equivalent is roughly 58–59% of median — raising drought concerns for spring and summer 2026.
Caroline Miller, Ecology’s statewide drought lead, told the Columbia River Policy Advisory Group that Washington’s 2026 water year began with record warm conditions and highly uneven mountain snowpack that increase the risk of drought impacts later in the year.
"A drought declaration in Washington triggers a couple of very specific things," Miller said, noting that the state declaration allows Ecology to "expedite the processing of emergency water transfer and drought permit applications," while mitigation requirements remain in place. She said the agency’s hydrologic drought threshold is less than 75% of normal water supply compared with the 1991–2020 30‑year normals, coupled with a statutory hardship standard…
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