May 20, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
Residents of Oregon and Washington can expect notable water shortages this summer due to a combination of low snowfall and rapid snowmelt of the little amount present as well as warmer and dryer than normal conditions going forward. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, almost all of Oregon’s basins are at 5% of normal in terms of snowmelt as of May 13. Additionally, 12 out of 36 — 33% — of Oregon counties currently have drought emergencies that will continue through summer, and parts of Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties are under an extreme drought status, one status under the highest possible, as listed by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Oregon critically depends on snowmelt from the mountains as a water supply, and because there is significantly less snowmelt this year, Oregon will be seeing very low amounts of water. This includes low rivers and lakes, decreased water supply to agricultural areas, dry wells and more. Areas specifically in Eastern and Central Oregon depend on water supply from snowmelt for the development, growth and harvest of farmlands. Crop production and animal maintenance will suffer this season because of this.
An Oregon news release about the warnings said, “Drought conditions are expected to significantly affect Oregon’s farms, ranches, recreation and tourism sectors, drinking water availability, fish and wildlife habitats, and other natural resource-dependent activities. Dryness will likely shorten the growing season, decrease water supplies, and increase wildfire risk.”
Another effect of the decreased snowmelt is the fact that many Oregon rivers are both lower and warmer, increasing risk for die-offs and disease outbreaks in native fish like salmon and trout, species that are critical to river habitats. Rivers are recorded to be at an all-time low for water level and most are 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than usual, a temperature that typically shouldn’t be seen until August. In addition to the lack of snowmelt, an increase in wildfires this season, also partially caused by dryer and warmer temperatures, has burned away canopy layers that provide shade to rivers, further increasing river temperature.
Residents can continue to monitor conditions through the U.S. Drought Monitor and check updates as Oregon representatives determine how to address the lack of water supply going forward.
Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu
