Jackson County commissioners agree to draft order asking governor to declare drought emergency

Jackson County commissioners agreed March 26 to move forward with drafting a Board Order that would ask the Governor to declare a drought emergency for Jackson County after hearing that the Rogue Basin snowpack is far below normal.

Shavon Haynes, District 13 Watermaster for the Oregon Water Resources Department, told the Board the county is rated abnormally dry to moderately dry and that "snowpack levels are low, with the Rogue Basin at only 14 percent of normal," producing minimal runoff for the spring months. Haynes said a gubernatorial drought declaration would provide access to specific resources and water application processes to assist farmers impacted by water shortages.

Delaney Richmond, Jackson County Emergency Manager, added that several other counties have already requested drought declarations and briefed the Board on potential county-level consequences. County Administrator Danny Jordan reviewed the county's agenda for the upcoming BoC regular meeting and recorded no changes.

Each commissioner present — Chair Rick Dyer, Commissioner Randy Sparacino and Commissioner Colleen Roberts — agreed to move forward with drafting the Board Order requesting that the Governor declare a drought emergency for Jackson County. The discussion, as recorded in the staff meeting minutes, did not include a formal vote; the action taken was agreement to draft the order.

The Board thanked the presenters for the update. The minutes record the staff meeting opened at 9:00 a.m. and adjourned at 10:22 a.m.