VETO MESSAGE ON SB 5030-S

                   May 20, 1997

To the Honorable President and Members,

  The Senate of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval Substitute Senate Bill No. 5030 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to the appropriation of water from lakes and reservoirs for single-family residential noncommercial garden and landscape irrigation;"

     Substitute Senate Bill No. 5030 would have directed the Department of Ecology to determine if water is available to provide shoreland owners around Lake Washington with a water right for residential noncommercial garden and landscape irrigation.  The Department of Ecology determined in 1979 that additional diversions of water from the Lake Washington drainage system would deplete instream flows and lake levels required to support appropriate uses.  There does not appear to be reasonable evidence that any additional water would be available today for these purposes, particularly in light of increased pressures associated with potential Endangered Species Act listings for salmon in the Puget Sound basin.

     For these reasons, I have vetoed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5030 in its entirety.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Gary Locke

                   Governor