WSU Launches Drought Alert Web Site

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University has launched a Web site to help Northwest citizens deal with the region’s deepening drought.

“Drought Alert provides a variety of information on the drought and how citizens can conserve water and otherwise cope with impacts of the drought,” said Rich Koenig, WSU Extension soils specialist.

Koenig is WSU’s representative on the Washington state Executive Water Emergency Committee.

On Thursday, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire authorized the Washington Department of Ecology to declare a statewide drought emergency based on the extremely low snow pack in the mountains and record-low flows that are being seen in many of the state’s rivers.

The WSU Web site will provide links to experts in agriculture, agricultural water policy, economic impacts of drought, landscape and gardens, home water conservation and related topics. The site also will have extensive links to other Washington state and federal agencies responding to the drought.

The Web site can be accessed at http://drought.wsu.edu/

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