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Board ends burn ban and declares Washington County a drought disaster area
Summary
Supervisors voted to terminate the county burn ban and adopted a resolution declaring Washington County a drought disaster area after staff presented USDA-derived estimates of agricultural losses totaling about $10.7 million.
Washington County supervisors voted to terminate the county's burn ban and unanimously adopted a resolution declaring the county a drought disaster area, citing significant agricultural losses.
County staff presented statistics from a USDA report showing estimated local losses from drought: pasture reduced by roughly 60% (valued at about $3.2 million), hay harvest down 90% (roughly $4.7 million), and corn production down 50% (about $2.8 million), for a combined estimated loss of approximately $10.7 million. The drought-resolution language mirrors a similar 2016 resolution the board adopted and transmitted to the governor and FEMA; staff said past submittals produced little external action but recommended documenting the current impacts.
Supervisor Ball moved to approve resolution 2024-25 to terminate the burn ban; the motion carried unanimously. Later, Supervisor Hernandez moved to adopt resolution 2024-26 declaring Washington County a drought disaster area; that motion also passed unanimously (7-0). Board members commented on the stress to local farmers, early herd reductions to preserve market stability, and the broader statewide dryness reflected in the USDA data.
The resolutions instruct county staff to document local losses and transmit the adopted declaration as appropriate; no emergency aid or specific relief programs were approved at the meeting.
