Since 1937 Dick Goin has spent time around the Elwha River. This year, Goin worries he might witness something he’s never seen before – record low water levels. “Unless we have something extremely unexpected for the spring and summer, it will probably be the lowest year I’ve seen on the Elwha,” Goin said.

Today, Gov. Gary Locke will hold a news conference in Pierce County to discuss the lack of water. He’s widely expected to make an official drought declaration, which would free up $5 million to help utilities and irrigators. This winter has been the driest since 1976-77. When rainfall and snowfall are combined, this year is among the driest five winters in the past century, the National Weather Service reported.

Recent numbers show that the dry conditions are also hitting the North Olympic Peninsula, home to the wettest spot in the lower 48 states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts stream flows in the Elwha and the Dungeness rivers this summer will be 70 percent of the 30-year average. As of March 1, snowpack in the Olympics was half of average and precipitation was only slightly better at 57 percent of normal.

Peninsula Daily News March 14, 2001 Section A