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County might declare drought emergency Commissioners might also ask today for federal disaster aid By TONY BOOM Despite rain throughout much of Tuesday, declaration of a county drought emergency will be considered at today's Jackson County commissioners meeting. "It opens the door to some funding and more importantly, it shows everybody how serious we are about water," said Commissioner Ric Holt. Commissioners also will consider requesting a disaster declaration from the U.S. secretary of agriculture because of the drought. The declaration would first go to Gov. John Kitzhaber for approval, said County Administrator Sue Slack. "(The declaration) would open additional doors for people with crop loss or potential crop losses," said Slack. Jackson County Watermaster Larry Menteer will brief the group on conditions and implications of a drought declaration, Holt said. Klamath and Douglas counties already have declared drought emergencies, he added. Under a drought declaration, Ashland could seek its full complement of water from the Talent Irrigation District, which has threatened to cut the supplies by 15 percent because of low reservoir levels. Ashland uses TID water to supplement its municipal supply in the summer. In a drought emergency, potable water supplies would take priority over other uses, said Ashland Public Works Director Paula Brown. Snow packs that feed Jackson County reservoirs are at less than 40 percent of normal levels following the dry winter. Menteer told commissioners in April that they were looking at drought-like conditions similar to 1977. According to the National Weather Service, the driest year on record in Medford was 1993-94, when rainfall was 8.87 inches. Rainfall this weather year was 9.18 inches through Monday. Average at this time is 18.03 inches. The weather year is calculated from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31. The commissioners' meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Jackson County Courthouse Auditorium. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.