drought

The entire state has been drier than normal since January. Seattle has received about six inches less rain than normal – and the outlook for the rest of the year isn’t any better.

Farmers in the Yakima and Kittitas valleys will be some of the hardest hit by Washington state’s declared drought. They might only get about 54% of their normal water this summer.

With rivers across the West running low, utilities must get creative if they are to meet demand without increasing emissions.

Washington state officials have declared a drought emergency in a dozen counties because of early snowmelt, a lack of spring rain and low-flowing streams.

In Western states, the older a water claim, the more secure it is during a drought. Tribes have long been excluded from that system and now, they're pushing for change.

Wildflower meadows have been growing in popularity among gardeners, and for good reason. They’re low-maintenance and drought-tolerant. They provide food for birds, insects and other wildlife. And they’re pretty.

Upingaksraq Spring Alaska Schreiner is finding innovative ways to continue her native plant business and seed sharing in the face of water shortages. The plants’ resilience and that of the people who have grown those plants since time immemorial give Schreiner confidence — even in the face of Oregon’s drier future.

Despite a cool and wet spring, the Washington Department of Ecology has extended a drought emergency declaration for watersheds in eight eastern Washington counties effective June 1. Under Thursday's declaration, five watersheds spanning parts of Spokane, Lincoln, Grant, Adams, Whitman, Stevens, Okanogan and Pend Oreille counties will remain in “drought emergency” status.

Some residents in the drought-parched U.S. West are turning to pricey machines that developers say can produce hundreds of gallons of water a day, literally out of thin air. A Washington company is playing a part in that.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday declared a statewide drought emergency because of hot, dry conditions that have plagued the region and water…