KENNEWICK (AP) — Drought conditions in the Yakima River Basin likely worsened in March because of low snowfall.
Water managers now believe some Yakima Basin users will receive even less than the 73 percent of their normal water that was previously predicted.
Jeff Marti, the state drought coordinator, told a joint House and Senate committee Wednesday that it's likely the federal Bureau of Reclamation will lower the amount of water that users in the basin will receive.
The joint committee met for the first time Wednesday.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expected to issue its next state water supply estimate April 6. Scott Pattee, the U.S. Department of Agriculture water supply specialist, says the statewide snowpack is at 22 percent of normal.

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