About a month ago, on April 16, 2024, Washington Department of Ecology declared a statewide drought emergency. In Spokane, where the flowing river defines the City landscape, the impact of drought can be particularly significant. But what exactly does a drought declaration from the Washington Department of Ecology mean, and how does it affect our River?
Understanding the Declaration
A drought declaration from the Washington Department of Ecology is not merely a symbolic gesture; it is a recognition of a pressing environmental concern with tangible consequences. Typically, such declarations occur when snowpack levels are lower than average, and precipitation forecasts indicate prolonged dry periods ahead. A declaration is made when the forecasted runoff is expected to be 75% below normal, called an “extreme departure from normal.” It signifies that the state is expected to experience water supply conditions that could lead to hardships for water users during the hottest and driest parts of the year.
The DOE's declaration triggers a series of regulatory responses aimed at managing water resources, balancing competing needs, and mitigating the impacts of drought on various sectors. But most importantly: this declaration frees up funding to support vulnerable public water supplies, agriculture, and fisheries.
The drought declaration allows DOE to side-step the normal regulations and instream flow rules to issue permits and rights to water that otherwise would not be available. It also allows Ecology to distribute up to $4.5 million in drought response grants for projects such as purchasing water rights for irrigation, upgrade irrigation systems with water efficiency devices, implementing water conservation strategies, and stream channel modification to protect spawning grounds. The program will evaluate projects based on their ability to alleviate immediate drought-related hardship, and prioritize the most immediate and imminent threats to human health, fisheries, and agriculture.
Since 2015, the Water Resources Drought Assistance Program has awarded 22 grants, totalling $2,301,236.45 of funds. These projects have included 6 irrigation projects (primarily for fruit trees), 13 projects for city and domestic drinking water supplies, and 3 projects to improve fisheries. Only 2 projects have been approved in Spokane County, both related to domestic water supply upgrades in 2015. A majority of the funding has gone to recipients in Clallam and Yakima counties.
Impacts on the Spokane River
Increased pumping for irrigation practices and stream flow diversions will reduce the summer flows in the Spokane River. When low flows strike, our River faces heightened stress, impacting aquatic habitats and endangering species that depend on them. Reduced water flows not only jeopardize aquatic habitats and biodiversity but also compromise water quality and streamflows. Most of our precipitation arrives in the winter in the form of snow. In the summer, when the snowpack has melted, the river flows depend on water inflow from the Spokane-Valley Rathdrum Aquifer. Higher demands from pumping placed on the aquifer in the summer months cause lower streamflows, impacting stream health.
The Spokane River is hydrologically connected to the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) Aquifer. The SVRP Aquifer provides water for over 600,000 people in Spokane and Kootenai counties. The aquifer is an important source of water for the river, contributing 60% of its annual outflow. As summer demand increases, the amount of water flowing in the Spokane River decreases. The Spokane River flow is partially protected by an existing instream flow rule. This rule requires Ecology to ensure all new water rights out of the Spokane-Valley Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer do not exceed the water available to keep the River at above 850 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the summer (Chapter 173-557 WAC). Right now, this rule requires the River be at 6,500 cfs until June 16, but it has not been above 6,500 since May 6, 2024.
The USGS flow gauge at Spokane shows that the Spokane River has not been above 6,500 cfs since May 6, captured May 16, 2024 at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/12422500/.
Even when there has been a drought emergency declared, Ecology must ensure that all proposed withdrawals do not reduce flows or levels below the minimum levels to preserve fish health and existing water rights. The applicable code states:
(c) The department may issue emergency withdrawal authorizations only when, after investigation and after providing appropriate federal, state, and local governmental bodies and affected federally recognized tribes an opportunity to comment, the following are found:
....
(iii) The proposed withdrawal will not reduce flows or levels below essential minimums necessary to ensure the maintenance of fisheries requirements and to protect federal and state interests including, among others, power generation, navigation, and existing water rights.
(d) All emergency withdrawal authorizations issued under this section shall contain provisions that allow for termination of withdrawals, in whole or in part, whenever withdrawals will conflict with flows and levels as provided in (c)(iii) of this subsection.
Essential flows are defined in part as “That amount of water or flow rate established as a regulation adopted by ecology pursuant to RCW 90.22.020.” (WAC 173-166-030). For the Spokane River, “essential flows” are equivalent to the instream flow. (WAC 173-557-030). Therefore, this declaration should not affect the instream flows of the Spokane River. That said, the concerns that prompted this drought declaration are troubling for our summer flows. With flows that are already below the protective rates, we can expect the low water to continue through the summer.
Looking Ahead
Climate change is increasing the uncertainty of our water supply and burdening aquatic life. Spokane River flows have been declining since 1891. Impacts from climate change, such as lower snowpack and warmer summers, contribute to deeper and longer droughts.
Our regulators must ensure that addressing immediate needs does not comprise long-term resiliency. With growing concerns for long-term water availability, we need to prioritize sustainable water management practices, equitable water allocation, and long-term conservation efforts. The state must invest in projects that focus on conservation and efficient use practices to increase drought resilience. We as individuals must also take action to conserve water and ensure that we do our part to protect the instream flows from increasing impacts of climate change.