The move came as a result of monitoring the water at the Galesville and Berry Creek Dams and conversations with the Douglas County watermaster, Douglas County Public Works Director Scott Adams told the commissioners.
The move was not entirely unexpected.
Watermaster Susan Douthit had suggested last week a drought declaration might be in the offing.
Precipitation was low overall last winter, and May was unusually dry, with .27 inches of rain, about 2 inches below normal.
And it doesn’t look like water levels will improve this summer.
The National Weather Service in Medford reports Douglas County is expected to receive above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall over the summer months.
The county drought emergency was passed on a unanimous vote by the commissioners.
It will next go to the governor’s office for an official drought declaration.
The drought declaration follows on the heels of an announcement by the Douglas Forest Protective Association that fire season will begin Friday.
DFPA is anticipating a bad fire season, and the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center is redicting elevated fire risk in July.