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Frequently Asked Questions About Drought
As summer progresses, the threat of drought may be diminishing, but dry summer weather may still have an impact. What will it mean for you if late summer brings drought-like conditions? We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions for a variety of topic areas including:
If your questions aren't answered here, please contact the following staff members for assistance:
For more information, publications, links, and news releases visit WSU Drought Alert. Or use these links to find specific information about King County Water or Washington State drought information.
Forestry
If your forestry questions aren't answered below, please contact Amy Grotta at 206-205-3132.
Q: How are drought conditions likely to affect forests?
A: In western Washington we have already been observing the cumulative impacts of several years of unusually dry conditions. Western hemlock and western red cedar are drought-prone species in our forests, and in some areas these species experienced higher-than-usual mortality in 2004.
Q: What other factors, other than the weather, may increase the effects of dry weather on trees?
A: The type of soil on a site has a large impact on whether a tree may become drought-stressed. Shallow, rocky soils dry out faster so trees on these sites may experience drought sooner than trees growing on deep, loamy or clay soils. Overstocked stands are also more prone to drought because there is more competition for the limited water resources. Finally, trees growing outside their normal ecological range or from non-local seed sources are more sensitive to drought.
Q: How can I tell if a tree has succumbed to drought compared to other causes?
A: Indicators of drought stress include entire branches, tree tops, or entire trees whose needles turn brown or red all at once. This is in contrast to trees whose inner needles turn brown (a normal occurrence). Sometimes, the damage may not be apparent until the growing season after the dry conditions.
Q: What are some things I can do to prevent drought loss?
A: Here are some ways to reduce drought stress in forests.
- Prevent soil compaction by reducing heavy vehicle traffic or restricting such traffic to designated trails.Reduce/remove competing vegetation, especially around young trees.Plant trees that are well-suited to your site (use local species and seed sources).
- Do not fertilize during dry conditions, as fertilizer increases foliar growth and water demand.
Q: Should I water my trees?
A: Landscape trees can be watered during times of drought, but to conserve water, irrigate infrequently, slowly and deeply. It is not practical to water trees in a forested setting. For young or recently planted trees, apply mulch to conserve water. Use a thick layer of organic material, cardboard, or landscape fabric.
Q: What precautions should I take to protect my home in the event of a wildfire?
A: If you live in a rural, forested area, it is extremely important to protect your home before the threat of a fire. Clean debris out of roof gutters regularly, prune any trees within 30 feet of your home to a height of 8 to10 feet, and remove any branches that overhang your roof. Store firewood well away from your house, and keep your grass mowed. Finally, make sure your address is clearly visible from the road and thin vegetation from your driveway to allow safe emergency vehicle access. Many other tips can be found at www.firewise.org (external).
Q: How can I find out about fire conditions in the region?
A: The Washington Department of Natural Resources (external) has a fire information website with up-to-date, county-by-county information on fire danger and weather conditions.
Crop Agriculture
If your crop agriculture questions aren't answered below, please contact Todd Murray, 206-205-3121.
Q: How severely will the drought effect local agriculture?A: Western Washington farmers are used to dry periods during the growing season. Most farmers plan on irrigating during August. Under drought conditions, water may become more difficult for farmers to access. To track the drought condition in Western Washington and its potential effect to local agriculture, visit this WSU Drought Alert (external).
Q: What can farmers do to conserve water without hurting their yield?A: Technology now allows growers to calculate crop needs based on soil moisture, rainfall and individual crop metabolisms. WSU provides a service to growers all across the state to aid in calculating evapotranspiration rates and help them irrigate crops only when plants need it. To learn more, visit this WSU-Prosser web page (external). Growers have many other simple conservation practices they can implement. Growers commonly add organic mulches and utilize cover crops to avoid periods of bare ground between crops. These practices are just a few that farms use to conserve soil moisture and reduce soil erosion.
Additional resources for Washington State farmers:
Pastures
Pasture questions and answers coming soon! Please visit WSU's Drought Alert (external).
Home Landscapes
If your home landscape questions aren't answered below, please contact Todd Murray, 206-205-3121, or Elaine Anderson, 206-205-3122.
Home Landscapes:
General
Q: How can I best care for my yard during a drought?
A: There are many techniques you can use to care for your landscape and conserve water. A few tips are include:
- Watering during cooler hours of the day reduces water loss through evaporation.Mulching planting beds helps keep moisture in the soil and available to plant roots.A soaker hose can provide deep, slow water to planting beds, which encourages deep roots and prevents water loss to runoff.Collecting rainwater from down spouts in rain barrels for use in the yard can help reduce the amount you need from the tap.
- Avoid new landscaping projects and plantings in drought years, as these will require large amounts of water for new plant establishment.
For more detailed information please visit the following web links:
Q: Where can I get rain barrels?
A: Rain barrels installed under down spouts will capture and store water that typically ends up in the storm drain, for use in the landscape. For local sources and build-your-own directions, visit King County's rain barrel website.
Q: Is it okay to plant drought-tolerant plants?
A: Drought-tolerant plants need at least two years of regular watering to become established. Once established, they are drought tolerant, but not before. Planting any new plants during a drought will increase your water usage and is therefore not the best choice.
Landscape Trees
Q: I see trees dying in King County. Is that from drought?
A: In some cases it is. We have had drier conditions for the past couple of years and older hemlock and pine trees are showing signs of stress. Water stressed trees show dieback occurring at the top of the canopy and slowing moving down the tree. Other factors can also create or contribute to these symptoms such as root diseases and soil compaction.
Q: What does drought stress look like?
A: Deciduous trees and plants may show stress by wilting leaves that turn brown and wrinkle. Evergreen shrubs such as rhododendrons may have red or yellow leaves. Rhododendron leaves will eventually curl and drop. Conifers will also have red needles as water stress begins. Often the reddened needles of pines will be evident in last year's growth and not the tips. As stress worsens, the canopy of trees may begin to die back.
Q: Will pests be bad this year?
A: Generally drought conditions do not cause pest outbreaks. However, when trees are weakened, pests have more victims to take advantage of. Trees such as pine and hemlock in King County may be showing signs of decline. Declining trees may have infestations of bark beetles and pathogenic fungi. These pests are only exploiting the water stressed trees and normally cannot attack healthy trees. Other pests enjoy moist environments that the PNW usually offers. These pests may not fair well during dry conditions.
Q: What can I do to save my water stressed trees?
A: Often trees and shrubs can care for themselves in difficult times. Branches dying back are an indication that the tree has decided to conserve its water. Prune out dead wood during dormant periods of winter. Do not fertilize water stressed trees. Mulching around the base of the tree with organic matter such as composted tree bark can also help keep the soil moist and cool. Some trees may require water in the later summer. Water only areas where tree roots can be found. This is usually along and out from the drip line of the canopy for most trees and shrubs. Water deeply and infrequent using soaker hoses or other irrigation tools that deliver the water exactly where you want it and not onto the sidewalk. See Marianne Ophardt's article on watering trees (external).
Lawns
Q: What is the best way to maintain a lawn during a drought?
A: Lawns do best when the whole root zone is wetted and then partially dries out between waterings. This is best achieved with deep but infrequent watering; however in times of drought, even infrequent watering may not be practical. Consider allowing lawns to go dormant (brown) during the driest months. Water deeply but slowly, so it penetrates, once each rainless month to help support dormant lawns so they recover better in the fall. This technique is best suited for lawns in low traffic areas, as dormant lawns are more easily damaged by traffic than actively growing lawns.
Q: Are there other lawn care techniques I can use to help conserve water?
A: There are several ways to conserve water as you care for your lawn ranging from irrigation timing and volume, to mow height. For these tips and more, visit King County's Natural Lawn Care pages.
Home Water Conservation If your home water conservation questions aren't answered below, please contact Tara Zimmerman, 206-205-3203.
Q: What can I do to reduce my water consumption in and around my home?
A: The greatest water-use area in the home is the bathroom, followed by the laundry. There are several ways to reduce water use including installing low-flow fixtures on taps and showers, turning water off while you brush your teeth and shave, take shorter showers instead of baths, and run only full loads of laundry. It is also important to check for leaks, especially in the toilet tank. Leaks account for significant water loss. For more information and for additional money saving and water-saving tips, visit:
Q: How can I keep my car clean during drought? I don't want to over-use water by washing it, but I would like to protect my investment.
A: Instead of washing your car on the driveway or in the street, which uses a lot of water and also sends soap and road grime into the storm drains and directly into our water bodies without treatment, consider using a commercial carwash. Most commercial carwashes recycle their wastewater and use far less water than washing by hand with a hose. |
