On KUMA’s Coffee Hour, Kyle Waggoner of the Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District discussed navigating 2026’s drought emergency alongside "flash" flood risks. Waggoner emphasized shifting from seasonal reactions to multi-year conservation due to record-low snowpack.

Reflecting on 2019–2020 floods, he highlighted improved coordination with Pendleton emergency services and infrastructure projects, like the Kirk Avenue bridge redesign, to improve water conveyance. Regarding McKay Creek, Waggoner reassured residents that restoring fish passage at the dam won't increase local flood risks. Ultimately, the SWCD is prioritizing long-term soil health and resilient infrastructure to manage the region’s increasingly erratic climate whiplash.

On KUMA&rsquo;s Coffee Hour, Kyle Waggoner of the Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District discussed navigating 2026&rsquo;s drought emergency alongside "flash" flood risks. Waggoner emphasized shifting from seasonal reactions to&nbsp;multi-year conservation due to record-low snowpack.
Reflecting on 2019&ndash;2020 floods, he highlighted improved coordination with Pendleton emergency services and infrastructure projects, like the Kirk Avenue bridge redesign, to improve water conveyance. Regarding McKay Creek, Waggoner reassured residents that restoring fish passage at the dam won't increase local flood risks. Ultimately, the SWCD is prioritizing long-term soil health and resilient infrastructure to manage the region&rsquo;s increasingly erratic climate whiplash.

Daily conversation with East Oregon newsmakers and host Dan Thesman.  Join Dan every weekday as he talks with the news makers of Umatilla County. Hear about the latest news straight from community leaders on this fun, current and informative show. Exclusively at www.ElkhornMediaGroup.com and on our free Elkhorn Mobile app on Google Play and the App Store.

 

 

Daily conversation with East Oregon newsmakers and host Dan Thesman. &nbsp;Join Dan every weekday as he talks with the news makers of Umatilla County. Hear about the latest news straight from community leaders on this fun, current and informative show. Exclusively at www.ElkhornMediaGroup.com and on our free Elkhorn Mobile app on Google Play and the App Store.
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