State Of Drought Declared For 3 More Counties In Oregon

Following the institution of mandatory statewide water conservation efforts by Governor Jerry Brown to stave off the historic California drought, the state of Oregon has announced that three of its counties are officially undergoing a drought as well.

The counties — Crook, Harney, and Klamath — follow drought declarations just last month from Lake and Malheur counties.

"Oregon's unusually warm and dry winter has potentially dire consequences," said Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

"By enlisting the support of our state and federal partners, we will be best able to ensure the safety of the residents of Crook, Harney, and Klamath counties, as well as their livelihoods and property."

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, the majority of the state of Oregon currently faces varying levels of drought conditions, with approximately 34 percent of the state classified as D3, or extreme drought.  The vast majority of California, meanwhile, has been classified between D3 and D4: extreme to exceptional drought.