Drought for the west

[Straight Arrow]

Montana Legislature's Environmental Quality Council (EQC) recently heard testimony from two panels addressing impacts, including drought, on Montana streams and rivers. The stream recreation panel spoke to the adverse impacts of over use by fishing and other recreation to the fisheries and waterways, including some ideas about mitigating problems. The waterway nutrients and algae panel addressed the reality of more people, less water, higher temps, and thus more nutrients and water quality issues. Fortunately these problems are getting more attention, but it's obvious that Montana and the west is way behind the curve and increased mitigation methods are needed, many of which are very, very expensive.

 

[sapperJ24]

National Drought Summary – West

“Anomalous warmth dominated the West, with nearly the much region seeing temperatures 15 to 25 degreesF above normal. Precipitation was largely absent, save for beneficial moisture in parts of Washington andMontana. This localized precipitation allowed for the reduction of severe drought (D2) in central Montana andabnormal dryness (D0) in western Washington. Elsewhere, the combination of soaring temperatures, lackingprecipitation, and declining soil moisture and streamflow data resulted in broad drought degradation.Extreme drought (D3) expanded in southern Idaho, central and northeastern Utah, and northwest NewMexico. Severe drought (D2) increased in coverage across Oregon, southern Idaho, southern Montana,southern and eastern Utah, southern and eastern Arizona, and New Mexico. Finally, abnormal dryness (D0)expanded in eastern Oregon and central and southern California.

 

[marksjeep]

Another Colorado River Basin article.
https://coloradosun.com/2026/03/27/colorado-river-states-potential-water-cuts-legal-battles/

Article has a time-lapse from the Lees Ferry gage. For anyone interested in similar imagery at USGS gaging stations link below.
https://apps.usgs.gov/hivis/