Chapter 173-167 WAC, Emergency Drought Funding (2025)

On June 5, 2025, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) issued a Drought Emergency Declaration for 19 watersheds that include all of Whatcom and Skagit counties, and portions of Snohomish, King, Pierce, Lewis, Thurston, Okanagan, Chelan, Clallam, Jefferson and Ferry counties.

This declaration expanded the April 8, 2025, drought emergency declaration Ecology issued for the Yakima Basin watersheds of Upper Yakima, Lower Yakima, and Naches, which include portions of Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton counties.

In response to the drought declaration on April 8, Ecology has adopted an Emergency Drought Funding Rule. The emergency rule describes the applicant and project eligibility criteria for grant funds to alleviate hardship resulting from the currently declared drought.

This rule is being issued to keep the Drought Response Grant open for eligible public entities, in order to alleviate hardship resulting from direct drought impacts. The Drought Response Grant will remain open for these public entities and will be in effect until August 7, 2025.

Ecology may extend the emergency rule based on evolving drought conditions. If the emergency rule is extended, this webpage and the guidelines will be updated to reflect the extended date to which applications may be submitted.