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This drought declaration marks the first made by Governor Kotek this calendar year.
Governor Tina Kotek has declared a drought in Baker County through Executive Order 25-12 and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the region.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Baker County has been experiencing moderate drought since June 3, 2025. Drought metrics also indicating long-term drought conditions are persistent in Baker County. Additionally, below normal precipitation, above normal temperatures, streamflow, and soil moisture conditions further indicate persistent drought conditions in Baker County.
For much of the year, Baker County benefited from normal to above normal streamflow conditions. However, recent conditions have declined to below normal levels and may continue trending downward despite recent localized precipitation in the region. Forecasted water supply conditions and precipitation levels are not expected to improve.
A link to the Executive Order can be found here.
Drought is likely to have a significant economic impact on the farm, ranch, recreation, tourism and natural resources sectors, as well as an impact on drinking water, fish and wildlife, and important minimum flows for public instream uses and other natural resources dependent on adequate precipitation, stored water, and streamflow in these areas. Extreme conditions are expected to affect local growers and livestock, increase the potential for wildfire, shorten the growing season, and decrease water supplies.
The drought declaration by Governor Kotek unlocks a number of drought-related emergency tools, including assistance to local water users. Drought declarations also allow the Water Resources Department to expedite review processes and reduce fee schedules.
The Oregon Drought Readiness Council, a standing body composed of natural resource, public health, and emergency response agencies, heard from the Baker County Board of Commissioners in June requesting the Governor’s drought declaration.
The Council received input from Oregon’s Water Supply Availability Committee on regional water supply conditions and Council members have conferred on this matter. The Council recommended that the Governor declare drought in Baker County for the 2025 calendar year, pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 536.740.
As state and local officials coordinate with federal partners, conditions will be closely monitored by the state’s natural resource and public safety agencies, including the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM).
This drought declaration marks the first made by Governor Kotek this calendar year.