A prominent University of Washington atmospheric sciences professor is publicly challenging the state’s recent drought emergency declaration, labeling it entirely groundless.
Speaking on The John Curley Show on KIRO Newsradio, Professor Cliff Mass argued that the Washington State Department of Ecology’s emergency declaration is factually inaccurate. While the agency pointed to a low winter snowpack—which peaked at just over half of its typical volume—and extended periods of below-average rainfall to justify the emergency, Mass maintains that these metrics do not tell the whole story.
According to Mass, the state’s water reservoirs are completely full and positioned to remain stable. He clarified that while low snowpack can impact water levels in the late spring and early summer, full reservoirs ensure an adequate water supply through the critical late-summer months when agricultural demands peak. Mass contends that the state’s emergency label lacks scientific backing and risks harming the local agricultural sector by spreading unnecessary panic, urging officials to rescind the declaration.
Conversely, deputy state climatologist Karin Bumbaco defended the Department of Ecology’s proactive approach. She noted that state law allows for drought declarations to be enacted before severe shortages are physically felt. While Bumbaco acknowledged that current conditions and reservoir levels are stable, she emphasized that the state is bracing for worsening conditions and a projected 52% water allotment for junior water users as the summer progresses.
Leave a Reply