Washington Senate's ‘use it or lose it’ water bill heads to House

The House next week may take up a bill to ensure conservation doesn’t erode agricultural water rights. Senate Bill 5010 would allow irrigation districts and farmers to retain their full water rights, even if they cut back on use for an extended period.The bill’s prime sponsor, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Judy Warnick, said farmers should be encouraged to save water, without fear of having to relinquish a portion of their water rights.“There’s kind of a feeling, if you don’t use it, you’re going to lose it,” she said during a hearing this session on the bill.Under certain circumstances, the Department of Ecology can withdraw water rights that haven’t been used for five straight years. The law cites nearly two dozen exceptions. For example, farmers who irrigate less because of drought, an abundance of rainfall or crop rotations aren’t in danger of losing water rights.SB 5010 would add conservation to the list. Washington Farm Bureau associate director of governmental relations Evan Sheffels said it leave more water in streams by removing an incentive to occasionally plant water-intensive crops to keep a water right.