Baker County Board Unanimously Declares Drought Disaster, Asks Governor to Act

Baker County commissioners voted 3–0 on Feb. 18 to declare a local drought disaster and asked Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to declare a state drought emergency for the county; the local declaration went into effect immediately and county staff said letters will be sent to the governor’s office while officials pursue possible federal aid through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Commissioner Michelle Kaseberg said, “This allows everybody to plan a little better.”

The action followed worsening hydrologic indicators. The Feb. 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map showed nearly 65 percent of Baker County in moderate drought and most of the remainder rated abnormally dry, with only 4.6 percent of the county free of those classifications. Snowpack in Northeastern Oregon was reported at about 47 percent of average as of Feb. 18, and state outlets note the U.S. Drought Monitor has listed Baker County in moderate drought since June 3, 2025.

Local meteorological records underpinned the board’s decision. Baker City Airport recorded 0.18 inches of precipitation in January, which the Baker City Herald described as the second-lowest January total since records began in 1943. A draft letter prepared by Emergency Management Coordinator Jason Yencopal stressed recent warmth and scant precipitation: “December became the warmest in the Baker Valley based on recordings from the Baker City Airport since 1943. January was 5 degrees warmer than average with only .18 of an inch of rain, making this the second-lowest on record since 1943.” Elkhornmediagroup reported officials worried recent snowfall may not be sufficient to carry the county through the dry months.

The county’s request to Gov. Kotek seeks access to drought-response tools administered by the Oregon Water Resources Department, including Temporary Drought Permits for groundwater and emergency water rights, and expedited review processes and reduced fee schedules for water applications. State communications via Apps Oregon and KATU say Governor Kotek has issued Executive Order 25-12 for Baker County (and EO 25-13 for Lincoln County), directing state agencies such as the Oregon Water Resources Department and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to coordinate and prioritize assistance. Apps Oregon also noted the Oregon Drought Readiness Council recommended a drought declaration for Baker County for the 2025 calendar year pursuant to ORS 536.740.

Agricultural pain shown in county records informed the board’s move. A Farm Service Agency Emergency Committee excerpt in county minutes lists range down 40 percent, pasture down 30 percent, and alfalfa and hay down 35 percent, and records that 100 of 920 commercial farmers and ranchers were “suffering loses of 60–69%.” The minutes also state Baker County expected only an additional 50 percent of normal water delivery in the upper Powder Valley system, and that is optimistic. Those minutes include agenda items dating back to 2002 and reference Governor Kitzhaber, indicating the excerpt contains earlier material that county officials will need to reconcile with current assessments.

Next steps are clear: the board will send formal letters to the governor and to USDA requesting drought declaration and federal assistance, and the draft county request asks USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins “… to expedite assistance to local agricultural industries [and] producers who have suffered extensive and ongoing loss since the drought and continue recovery efforts associated with the wildfires….” State and local agencies will continue to monitor conditions as officials move to deploy emergency water permits, funding mechanisms, and other tools to protect drinking water, irrigation supplies, fish and wildlife, and local farms and ranches.