Since the area s rainy season comes during the winter, residents are unlikely to see much relief in coming months. They're going to have to rely on what little snow they had and wait until the next rainy season. That's already proving problematic. At Crater Lake in Oregon, the snowpack that usually measures 80 inches this time of year is already completely melted. Indeed, climatologists say the Northwest, suffering its second worst drought since 1895, is their biggest concern at the moment.
Water is in short supply and high demand, especially with the current electricity crisis.
Hydroelectric plants are competing against farmers and conservationists for water in the rivers - many of which are now mere rivulets. The Yellowstone River, for instance, is running at a 40-year low. It's so depleted that the paddlefish have been unable to swim upstream to spawn. Farmers and ranchers, who need the water for irrigation, are fighting with tourism promoters and biologists trying to leave enough water for the fish. Last summer, forest fires in Montana forced the closure of all public lands to recreation.