Water Even More Scarce For Local Growers

(AP) — The federal Bureau of Reclamation has had to start using stored reservoir water to supplement natural flows early because of a worsening drought in central Washington's Yakima Basin.
According to a mid-month forecast released by the bureau, some Yakima Basin water users may only get 54 percent of their supply.
Chuck Garner, the bureau's Yakima Project River Operations supervisor says weather conditions forced them to use stored reservoir water starting April 15. Typically the stored water in reservoirs is not used until June.
Garner says a record low snowpack, the cold weather and the low amount of April precipitation caused a decline in the natural flows.
Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a drought emergency for the Yakima Basin, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and the Olympic Peninsula.