By Don Jenkins, Capital Press

As drought spreads in Washington, the Department of Ecology is preparing to make $2 million available for drought-relief projects.

A moderate drought covers more than one-third of the state, triple the area from two weeks ago, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday.

Washington already has declared an official drought in three watersheds and may designate more in the coming week. Public agencies in those areas will be eligible for grants from Ecology to increase summer water supplies for farms, households and fish.

Ecology hopes to begin awarding money the first week of June, the department’s drought coordinator Jeff Marti said Thursday.

The West is nearly drought free, except in Washington, according to the Drought Monitor, a partnership of the USDA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Drought Mitigation Center.

Drought conditions prevail in 34% of Washington, affecting all or parts of 17 of the state’s 39 counties. The percentage was 20% the week before and 10% two weeks ago.

Washington State Assistant Climatologist Karin Bumbaco said she did not expect spring rains to sharply roll back the drought.

“We’re still feeling the effects of a drier than normal late winter and early spring,” she said.