Governor Jay Inslee has declared a drought emergency across three regions of Washington state.
The worst drought conditions are in the Olympic Peninsula, the east side of the central Cascade Mountains including Yakima and Wenatchee, and the Walla Walla region, Reuters reported.
The drought emergency was prompted by near record-low mountain snowpack ahead of the spring runoff.
The Department of Ecology has requested $9 million in drought relief from the Legislature. The approved drought relief amount will used to help drill emergency wells or deepen existing wells for cities, farms and fish hatcheries, lease water rights or build pumps or pipelines.