In a severe drought year, like this one, some farmers and ranchers in the Yakima River Basin come to expect a letter from the state cutting off one of their main water sources, and they plan accordingly.

But this year’s drought was so bad, the state had to cut deeper than ever before.

With only a single exception, every person, farm, ranch, irrigation ditch and company drawing water from rivers, streams and reservoirs within the basin had to stop. Entire cities couldn’t be spared.

This includes Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Prosser, Roslyn, Yakima and anyone else with a surface water right. They all received so-called curtailment letters from Washington’s Department of Ecology earlier this month. Only the Yakama Indian Nation’s water was left untouched.

This means no more irrigation, lawn or g

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