News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 1, 2001
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke urges support for his water management initiatives

STEVENSON – In a speech to the National Water Resources Association conference at Skamania Lodge, Gov. Gary Locke today urged support for his water management initiatives to ensure adequate water for people, farms and fish.

“The American West is ground-zero in the water-resources debate,” said Locke.

The governor highlighted three themes he views as critical to protecting irrigated agriculture in Washington:

  • Pursuing water-management strategies to make the Endangered Species Act work and minimize impacts on irrigators

  • Insisting on a new approach for salmon recovery in the Columbia Basin based on true partnerships

  • Reforming the state’s water-management system


“My administration has taken the lead, working with irrigators and agricultural leaders throughout the state, in developing an agriculture, fish and water agreement,” Locke remarked.

The governor added that the current federal approach is not working. “The federal approach is filled with process – dozens of meetings, dozens of plans and dozens of pledges – but we are seven months into the ESA plan and have little to show for it.”

“We must take charge of our own destiny, not by tilting at the ESA windmill, but by making the ESA work in ways that minimize impacts on our irrigators and our agricultural economy yet protect salmon in the Columbia Basin,” the governor said.

Locke also called for a true partnership with the federal government that recognizes the central role played by state and local governments, the tribes and other stakeholders.

Addressing drought, growth and water management, the governor said the state is at historic lows in the amount of water available in the Columbia Basin.

“Obviously, we cannot manufacture new water so we need to be especially creative in the way we manage our limited water supplies,” Locke said.

Referring to reforms in the state’s water-management system, Locke highlighted the successes in the recent legislative session regarding water and pledged to continue these efforts for the remainder of his term.

“Our century-old water laws no longer meet the demands of a state whose population has grown five-fold,” the governor said. “I am happy to say that we made significant headway in making changes in the way we manage our water in Washington – the first significant changes since 1971.”

Legislation introduced this year by Locke and passed into law with bipartisan support made it easier to change or transfer existing water rights so water can be moved where needed, enabled local water conservancy boards to process all types of water-right changes and transfers and put in place firm timelines to establish stream flows vital to saving fish and providing certainty about how much water is available for farms and growing communities.

“But this is just the first year of what will be a three-year effort to reform state water law and the way we manage our water,” Locke remarked. “Clearly, a lot more needs to be done, and will be done. On top of our list is a new water storage initiative, including funding to put storage into place.”

In conclusion, the governor said Washington state has about 1.5 million acres dependent on federal irrigation projects and that irrigated agriculture is a vital component of the state’s economy.

“We must roll up our sleeves and do what needs to be done to protect irrigated agriculture in Washington,” Locke said.
Related Links:
- Endangered Species Act
- Washington State Department of Ecology
- National Water Resources Association
- Washington State Department of Agriculture
- Locke signs landmark water bill


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