SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — An 85-year-old North Spokane farmer said he does not plan to pay a six-figure fine from the state for what officials call illegal irrigation.
Robert “Bob” Greiff received a $100,000 penalty from the Washington State Department of Ecology for unauthorized irrigation on his property near Deer Park. The lifelong farmer says the fine is unreasonable.
“Ridiculous. I don’t make $100,000 probably in my whole life,” Greiff said.
Greiff’s family has owned the land since 1939. The property includes two plots, one of which is home to the North Spokane Farm Museum. He says his family has held water rights to the land since the 1950s.
“For 70 years, we have had no problems,” Greiff said.
The dispute began in 2019 when Greiff received his first notice from the Department of Ecology warning him about unpermitted irrigation. The state issued several warnings and fined him $21,000 in 2024. The penalty escalated to $100,000 this year, as the state stated that violations continued.
“After I got a few letters, I sent everything back,” Greiff said.
Ecology said the current fine is for unauthorized irrigation during June and July. Greiff says his family has traditionally irrigated during those months for decades.
“We turn the sprinklers on, and May 1st we irrigate till the end of September,” Greiff said.
Ecology reported the water originates from a creek connected to the Little Spokane watershed, where new water rights have been closed since 1976 due to limited supply.
The water resource section manager for Ecology’s Eastern Region said in a press release: “We’ve made multiple attempts to provide technical assistance and achieve voluntary compliance, yet illegal use continues.”
The statement continued: “It’s unfair as other legal water users were required to stop irrigating to protect the Little Spokane River and its fish and wildlife habitat.”
Greiff disagrees with the restriction, believing he has water rights over the property.
“I just think it’s just asinine to say you can’t water over here. It’s legal over here,” Greiff said.
The Department of Ecology has given Greiff 30 days to pay the fine or appeal the decision to the Pollution Control Hearings Board. The department has also placed a lien on his property.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.