water rights

i live on a lake in kitsap county .lately theres been a few people hooking up pumps to irrigate there lawns ,gardens etc theres no city water here so everyone has there own well which is why i don't get this its not like were paying for the water so why pump it out of the lake.i talked to one person about it a was told certain property's around here have a grandfather clause that gives them the right to do this. does anyone know anything about things like this or know where i might find information on the legalities of it.myself i don't think it should be allowed if to many were doing it there would be a noticeable difference in the level of the lake. thanks for any help

No, there is no grandfather clause without a paper water right. And, you would have to show that you have used it for a long time.

You should call the Department of Ecology to get your answer. Remember, the lake feeds a stream and fish need water in the stream. So, less lake water=less stream water=less fish.

I went to a seminar concerning water rights, and what I came out with was this.....Washington State has the most screwed up water rights laws you could ever imagine! It is basically a "use it or lose it" philosophy, which for the common user starts at 5000 gal./day, but if you use less (which very nearly all folks do), then your water right could be less. Without meters it's impossible to know, but who is to foot the bill for meters? There has been some pressure to meter private wells in some areas, which, of course, meets with tremendous resistance. Here's a thought.....city folks use massive quantities of water and well as industries....and in some states, to the point of completely drying up rivers. I suspect that the folks you see using lake water are conserving their well water and using lake water for non-potable uses. Me thinks country folks are much more conscientious as a rule than city folks, who never see the source of water and think it is magically formed in the faucet somehow. In this county (Jefferson), there are recently permitted lake water residential water systems issued. I personally find it amazing that water is much of an issue, but I don't want to minimize the impact of over use, either. We live in Washington State.....not Montana, or Florida, or New York. Does anyone else find it astonishing that we crap in our own nest in a state so bountiful with water??? My $.02