Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s office has approved drought declarations for Douglas, Giliam, Harney, Lake and Malheur counties.
Wednesday's announcement brings the total number of counties with a drought declaration in 2026 to 17, covering much of Oregon east of the Cascade Range.
Of the counties in the latest declaration, Douglas County has the most severe drought conditions, with 85% of its area experiencing severe or extreme drought.
Two other counties have moderate to severe drought across more than 80% of their land.
The declaration means mitigation and agricultural recovery help from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, coordination and assistance with aid to water users from the state Department of Water Resources, information about its impact from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and coordination and assistance with mitigation efforts from the state Department of Emergency Management.
Statewide, 87% of Oregon is experiencing some form of drought, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report. That’s the highest percentage since May 2022.
The report, which covers the week of June 2, showed that the percentage of Oregon land experiencing severe drought more than doubled from 2.93% to 6.64%.
The number made another notable jump in the first report in May, when the number went from 0.20% to 2.93%.
