Governor asks for statewide drought declaration




By ELISABETH A. WRIGHT


Associated Press Writer




CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Gov. Jim Geringer sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman on Wednesday asking her to declare Wyoming a natural disaster area.




Geringer said he asked for the designation so farmers and ranchers may qualify for low-interest loans and possibly tax deferrals to cope with a third straight year of drought.




Geringer said it is the first time he has asked for a statewide designation.




Last year, Veneman declared 13 counties as primary disaster areas and 10 counties as secondary disaster areas because of drought and wildfires. In 2000, she declared 22 counties primary disaster areas because of similar conditions.




In his letter, Geringer wrote that ranchers are faced with fewer places to graze livestock on public land and some have been forced to sell their livestock prematurely. Future farming and ranching operations are in serious jeopardy, he wrote.




"Because of the severe drought conditions in 2000 and 2001, there is little if any leftover grass at the beginning of the current growing season," he wrote.




Forecasters predict extreme drought in the Big Horn Basin and severe drought almost everywhere else in Wyoming. Last week's wildfires in Superior and Opal indicate another potentially bad year for fires as well, State Forester Tom Ostermann said.




Moderate drought is predicted in southwestern Wyoming and the state's farthest northeastern corner, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.




Wyoming, Montana and Arizona are also expected to be some of the hardest hit states this year, Geringer said. Montana has also asked for a disaster declaration and Arizona is expected to as well, he said.




In eastern Wyoming, the state engineer declared a monthlong "call" on water in the North Platte River, ending May 1. A call means irrigators who hold the oldest water rights are the first to get their share of the limited supply of river water.




Last year, many farmers and ranchers got by on stored water from reservoirs. This year, stored water may not be an option. Reservoir levels are expected to average 30 to 70 percent below normal, state officials said.




Yellowstone National Park, however, is predicted to do better this year compared to last year, with snowpack at 83 percent of normal levels, Geringer said.




There is a one-in-five chance the drought will end in six months, state officials said.