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Stories tagged: 2015 drought
Tue., Dec. 20, 2016
Orchardist who watered illegally during the 2015 drought agrees to improve fish habitat
The owners of a southeast Washington orchard who irrigated illegally during the 2015 drought have agreed to make improvements to the Touchet River to improve habitat for threatened steelhead.
Wed., Dec. 2, 2015
Orchardist fined $73,530 for illegal irrigation during drought
A Columbia County orchardist is being fined $73,530 for illegally irrigating a 100-acre apple and pear orchard after being ordered to stop during Washington’s historic drought, state officials said.
Mon., Nov. 16, 2015
Lingering drought seen in region’s low lakes, waterways
The Inland Northwest remains in the grip of a record-setting drought, with stream flows and lake levels far below normal. The deficit comes amid uncertainty about how one of the …
UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 4, 2015
Pacific Northwest’s 2015 weather likely to be repeated, climate scientists say
The unusual weather of 2015 is the Northwest’s trial run for future conditions under climate change, climate scientists say.
Fri., Oct. 2, 2015
Grizzly captured, collared in Montana killed by hunter in Idaho
A Montana grizzly bear caught, radio-collared and released by researchers near Idaho on Aug. 4 has been shot and killed by a hunter near Wallace.
Thu., Oct. 1, 2015
Grizzly captured, collared in Montana killed by hunter in Idaho
A Montana grizzly bear caught, radio-collared and released by researchers near Idaho on Aug. 4 has been shot and killed by a hunter near Wallace.
Fri., Sept. 25, 2015
Washington state’s drought hasn’t relented, despite few rain drops
Don’t let a bit of rain in the last few weeks fool you. Washington is still in drought, state officials said. Eastern and Central Washington are in extreme drought. Western …
Thu., Sept. 17, 2015
Drought leaves hunters, game at mercy of water
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge will not be hosting young duck hunters this month because blinds built for Washington’s youth season are high and dry. “Our wetlands are so low this …
Thu., Sept. 3, 2015
Hot, dry Spokane summer breaks records
It’s official. The three-month span from June 1 through Aug. 31 was the hottest and the driest summer on record in Spokane. The hot and dry conditions have caused extreme …
Thu., Aug. 27, 2015
Drought, wildfires combine to impact region’s wildlife
Are the region’s wildfires cooking wildlife? Generally no, wildlife biologists say. Rather than perish in the flames, critters are more likely to starve later if a harsh winter compounds the …
Thu., Aug. 27, 2015
Wildfire closures block access to popular hunting, hiking, boating areas
Drought and wildfires in the Inland Northwest are raising havoc with fish and wildlife as well as with hunters, hikers, boaters and other recreationists who consider August a prime month …
Tue., Aug. 25, 2015
Spokane’s searing summer sets records for heat, dry
The summer of 2015 will be the hottest and driest ever in Spokane. The National Weather Service on Monday said the period from June 1 to Aug. 24 is by …
Sat., Aug. 15, 2015
Spokane River may have competition for its treated wastewater
The drought-parched Spokane River is getting about 14 percent of its water from sewage treatment plants this summer. Industrial and municipal treatment plants discharge about 60 million gallons of treated …
Tue., Aug. 11, 2015
Western Washington cities ask residents to cut water use
Normally rainy cities in Washington state took the unusual step on Tuesday of asking residents and businesses to voluntarily cut back their water use by 10 percent, in response to …
Thu., Aug. 6, 2015
Conservationists ask Spokane-area water users to conserve, protect river
As a drought measure, John Osborn has cut his daily shower to two minutes. He’s installed low-flush toilets in his home and replaced his lawn with low-water landscaping.
Fri., July 31, 2015
Fire evacuations pending for Holden Village, Lucerne
Evacuation notices are pending for the Lake Chelan communities of Holden Village and Lucerne following flare ups on the Wolverine Fire.
Wed., July 29, 2015
First sockeye arrives at Redfish Lake
The first sockeye salmon has completed its 900-mile migration to Redfish Lake Creek near Stanley.
Mon., July 27, 2015
An early, hot season stretches resources at Coeur d’Alene Wildland Fire Center
Don MacDonald scrubbed down the windshield of his plane as it refueled at the Coeur d’Alene Interagency Wildland Fire Center last week, rinsing off bugs and smoke residue. Shortly afterward, …
Sun., July 26, 2015
Hot weather impacting climbing on Mount Rainier
Washingtonians without air conditioning aren’t the only ones suffering from record-setting temperatures this summer. The glacier-covered faces of Mount Rainier are melting faster than usual this year, creating conditions on …
Sat., July 25, 2015
Competition for huckleberries creating fights among pickers
Competition for huckleberries is creating conflicts in the woods, with reports of pickers fighting over patches of the sought-after berries. Gathering huckleberries is a cherished summer ritual for many Inland …
Tue., July 21, 2015
Juvenile salmon trucked to cooler waters
Federal officials say 160,000 juvenile salmon from a fish hatchery in central Oregon were transported by truck to a hatchery in Washington in an effort to save the fish from …
Mon., July 20, 2015
Drought affecting Northwest’s winter wheat
Intense drought conditions have shrunk the kernels and disrupted the proteins of winter wheat crops in Montana, Washington, Oregon and Idaho, the region that produces a fifth of the U.S. …
Sat., July 18, 2015
Spokane River flow part of balancing act
The effects of a historic drought weren’t obvious at Q’emiln Park in Post Falls this week, with the Spokane River lapping at the sandy beach and kids shrieking and splashing …
Fri., July 17, 2015
Drought prompts fishing limits on 38 rivers in Washington
Reacting to reports of drought-related dead and stressed fish, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officials are enacting fishing restrictions involving 38 rivers, including the Spokane River. The Kettle River near …
Thu., July 16, 2015
Sturgeon die-off in Columbia spurs catch-and-release ban proposal
Numerous decades-old sturgeon dying in the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities are prompting a proposal to close catch-and-release fishing for the species. The proposal is scheduled for consideration today by …
Sun., July 12, 2015
Drought puts Western fisheries in hot water
Drought and record hot weather are producing lethal conditions for salmon and trout in rivers across the West. A recent survey released Wednesday of the lower reaches of 54 rivers …
Thu., June 25, 2015
Rich Landers: Rocky Ford Creek’s higher water level contrast to norm
Consider yourself an old timer if you’ve seen the St. Joe River this low in late June. The flows this week were 28 percent below the low-flow record set in …