The U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station will assess local climate risks like drought and wildfire and come up with plans to deal with them.

The past three years have brought some of the most severe weather and fires our nation has seen.

Bill Hohenstein is the Director of Climate Change at the USDA.

He says water shortage will be an important focus.

"Looking at long term water availability, one of the concerns for the Pacfic Northwest is we're seeing more precipitation in the form of rain rather than snow pack.  And as a region that  relies on snowpack that is threatened by climate change.  And farmers needs to find better ways to manage and store water different from snowpack."

The USDA selected seven cliamte hubs around the country.  The other hubs are located in Iowa, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico.