Drought in Oregon, July 1 to 31, 1999

Drought, which started to develop early this year, greatly reduced the yields of green peas and winter wheat harvested this month in eastern Oregon. According the the Oregon Climate Service, rainfall for the Columbia Basin averaged 25 percent less than normal since last fall. For example, Heppner only reported 8.8 inches of rain since September. During a normal water year 11.2 inches could be expected. In addition, very little rain has fallen since mid-May. Western Umatilla and Morrow counties have reported the worst crop conditions, with winter wheat harvests averaging only around 40 percent of normal. Near Ione, which is located in Morrow county, many farmers plowed up their crops due to stunted growth. An insurance adjuster there reported that he had received around 300 claims just from the immediate area.