Disaster area declared for farmers, ranchers in drought-blighted Calif.-Ore. border region

Drought-hit Calif.-Ore. border getting feds’ help

TULE LAKE, Calif. — An ongoing drought has led the federal government to declare a disaster area in the California-Oregon border region in an effort to bring relief to stricken farmers and ranchers.

The U.S. Agriculture Department announced Thursday that nine border counties in California and Oregon would be declared a natural disaster area, opening up low interest loans from the federal government.

The heavily agricultural Klamath Basin area has been wracked by severe drought since March. The region produces onions, potatoes and grains, among other crops.

A combination of drought and the diversion of water to aid federally protected salmon and sucker fish species have led to a steep drop in water available to more than 1,000 farms fed by the basin’s federal irrigation project.