Washington State Department of Ecology

Every winter, vast quantities of snow start accumulating in the Cascades and Rocky Mountains of the Pacific Northwest. This snow typically reaches a peak volume in late March or early April.  Snowpack is the largest reservoir in the Pacific Northwest. As spring and summer temperatures warm, the snow begins to melt and increase river flows from March through July. The increase in flows can

Before summer took hold, Washington issued a nearly-statewide drought declaration, allowing funding to become available for drought relief.A drought declaration earlier this spring opened up funding to eligible public entities in Washington to respond to more intense drought conditions before they arrived this summer. Despite the Pacific Northwest’s rainy reputation, much of Washington falls