November 2026 Drought and Streamflow Update

Key Messages: 

Streamflows remain near or below record lows across the majority of basins in the state mostly due to below normal fall precipitation. 

Streamflows are especially low relative to normal in the Central and Northern Cascades and in the Okanogans.   

September 2026 Drought and Streamflow Update

Key Messages: 

Streamflows in mountain basins continue to run below to extremely below normal. Some stations in the Olympics and western Cascades have seen temporary boosts in streamflow thanks to beneficial rainfall in early September.  

August 2026 Drought and Streamflow Update

Key Messages: 

Streamflows in mountain basins continue to run below to extremely below normal due to poor snowpack and dry summer conditions. 

Water supply forecasts have remained relatively unchanged, with continued expectations of well below normal summer water supply for all major rivers besides the Columbia.  

June 2026 Drought and Streamflow Update

Key Messages: 

Statewide SNOTEL stations have all melted out. This occurred about 3 weeks earlier than normal. 

Streamflows on snowpack-fed rivers remain well below normal with some gauges reporting record low streamflows. 

October 2025 Drought and Streamflow Update

On October 6, following near-record warm and dry conditions and three years of declared drought in the Yakima Basin, the Department of Ecology issued a complete halt of surface water use in the Yakima Basin. 

September 2025 Drought and Streamflow Update

Streamflow deteriorated during September as a result of warmer than normal temperatures and a relatively slow start to the rainy season. A map of September streamflow percentiles by watershed reveals that the vast majority of watersheds are below normal or much below normal, seen in orange and brick red shading. 

August 2025 Drought and Streamflow Update

Streamflow in August was slightly improved compared to July with the return of some near normal streamflow across the Olympics, western slopes of the Cascades and portions of the Columbia Basin when averaged across the month. 

July 2025 Drought and Streamflow Update

Streamflow continues to run well below normal in July 2025. The majority of basins are experiencing below normal (orange) or much below normal (red) streamflow. A few basins in northern Washington are experiencing record low flow.  

June 2025 Drought and Streamflow Update

Warm and very dry conditions in June 2025 contributed to worsening drought conditions and declining streamflow statewide. June streamflow has dropped below normal as indicated on the monthly streamflow percentile map, courtesy of the USGS Water Watch.