Title 45, Water Resources: Irrigation, Drainage, Flood Control, Reclamation

(1) ORS 540.443 to 540.491 do not apply to: (a) A dam that is less than 10 feet in height; or (b) A dam that impounds less than 3 million gallons of water or wastewater. (2) Except as provided in this subsection, ORS 540.443 to 540.491 do not apply to dams regulated under a feder…

(1) A person may not construct a dam unless the Water Resources Department has examined the site, plans and specifications, features and other supporting information regarding the construction and operation of the dam and has approved them in writing. (2) Except as provided in th…

(1) An owner seeking to remove a dam that has a significant hazard rating or high hazard rating must notify the Water Resources Department. The owner shall provide the department with a removal plan sufficiently in advance of the removal to allow the department reasonable time fo…

(1) The Water Resources Department, or agents or representatives of the department, may inspect a dam and the site, plans and specifications, features and other supporting information regarding the construction, maintenance and operation of a dam. If a dam has a high hazard ratin…

(1) If, as the result of an inspection or analysis of a dam that has a high hazard rating or significant hazard rating, the Water Resources Department concludes that corrective action is necessary to address a condition allegedly rendering the dam unsafe or potentially unsafe, th…

(1) If the Water Resources Department provides notification to a dam owner under ORS 540.458 stating that the department has concluded that a dam having a significant hazard rating or high hazard rating is unsafe or potentially unsafe, the department may cooperate with dam owner …

The Water Resources Department may accept the reports of consulting engineers, geologists or other specialists employed by the dam owner. If the department concludes that the reports are insufficient, the department may employ consulting engineers, geologists or other specialists…

(1) If, as the result of an inspection under ORS 540.455 of a dam that has a significant hazard rating or high hazard rating, the Water Resources Department concludes that maintenance actions are needed, the department shall inform the dam owner of the need for maintenance action…

If the Water Resources Director issues a proposed final order under ORS 540.461, regarding a dam that the Water Resources Department has concluded is unsafe, and the director requests that the scheduling of any contested case hearing on the proposed final order be expedited, the …

In addition to any other available remedies, if the Water Resources Department has information that a person is violating or intends to violate a final order issued under ORS 540.461, or concludes that a dam poses an imminent risk to life, property or public infrastructure, the d…

In addition to any other available remedies, if an order issued under ORS 540.461 (4) becomes final by operation of law or on appeal, and the dam owner fails to comply with the order, the Water Resources Department may request that the Attorney General or the district attorney of…

(1) The owner of record of a dam shall: (a) Provide the Water Resources Department with contact information in an emergency action plan, or in writing if no emergency action plan exists, for: (A) The dam owner; (B) The operator of the dam, if other than the owner; and (C) The ind…

(1) The Water Resources Department shall require the owner of a dam that has a high hazard rating to develop an emergency action plan for the dam. (2) An emergency action plan required under this section must include, but need not be limited to: (a) Means for emergency condition …

(1) If an actual or potential dam failure creates an imminent risk to life, property or public infrastructure, and an emergency action plan exists for the dam, the dam owner shall immediately implement the actions specified in the plan. (2) If an actual or potential dam failure c…

(1) The Water Resources Commission may adopt rules the commission deems necessary or convenient for the administration and enforcement of ORS 540.443 to 540.491. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, the commission shall adopt rules that, at a minimum, establish: (a…

(1) Compliance with ORS 540.443 to 540.491 does not relieve the owner or operator of a dam or an individual in immediate charge of a dam from any duty, obligation or liability regarding the ownership, maintenance or operation of the dam. (2) Water Resources Department actions and…

As used in ORS 540.505 to 540.586: (1) “District” means an irrigation district formed under ORS chapter 545, a drainage district formed under ORS chapter 547, a water improvement district formed under ORS chapter 552, a water control district formed under ORS chapter 553 or a cor…

(1)(a) Except as provided in subsections (2) to (8) of this section, all water used in this state for any purpose shall remain appurtenant to the premises upon which it is used and no change in use or place of use of any water for any purpose may be made without compliance with t…

(1)(a) Except when the application is made under ORS 541.327 or when an application for a temporary transfer is made under ORS 540.523, if the holder of a water use subject to transfer for irrigation, domestic use, manufacturing purposes, or other use, for any reason desires to c…

(1) In accordance with the provisions of this section, any person who holds a water use subject to transfer may request that the Water Resources Department approve the temporary transfer of place of use and, if necessary to convey water to the new temporary place of use, temporar…

(1) Notwithstanding ORS 540.510 or 540.670, upon approval of an application submitted to the Water Resources Department, the holder of both a primary water right originating from a surface water source and a supplemental water right permit or certificate originating from a ground…

(1) Upon receipt of an application for a change in the point of diversion under ORS 540.520, the Water Resources Department shall consult with the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine whether the diversion is: (a) Equipped with an appropriate fish screening or by-pa…

(1)(a) If, after hearing or examination, the Water Resources Commission finds that a proposed change can be effected without injury to existing water rights, the commission shall make an order approving the transfer and fixing a time limit within which the approved changes may be…

(1) Notwithstanding ORS 537.515 and 537.535, an owner of a surface water use subject to transfer may apply for a transfer of the point of diversion to allow the appropriation of ground water if the proposed transfer complies with the requirements of subsection (2) or (3) of this …

(1) Notwithstanding ORS 537.797, 540.510, 540.520 and 540.530, an individual may request a change in the point of diversion to reflect the historical use of water at a point of diversion other than that described in the water right certificate or decree if the individual complies…

(1) As used in this section, “person holding a water right, certificate or permit” means a person that: (a) Holds a water right established by court decree; (b) Holds a water right certificate or a water right for which proof of beneficial use has been approved by the Water Resou…

After receipt of an exchange application, the Water Resources Commission shall give notice of the application in the weekly public notice of the Water Resources Department. [1987 c.815 §3; 2011 c.52 §7; 2025 c.282 §6] Note: The amendments to 540.535 by section 6, chapter 282, Ore…

(1) The Water Resources Commission shall issue an order allowing an exchange unless the commission finds any of the following: (a) The proposed exchange would adversely affect other appropriators. (b) The proposed exchanges would be too difficult to administer. (c) The proposed e…

An exchange of water under ORS 540.533 to 540.537 is subject to the requirements of beneficial use under ORS 540.610. [1987 c.815 §5]

(1) Any water made available to a person under an exchange shall be delivered in accordance with the order allowing the exchange. The use of water under an exchange is without prejudice to, but shall be considered use and enjoyment of, the permitted, certificated or decreed right…

If water for an in-stream use is provided by exchange, the watermaster shall regulate headgates and other diversion points as necessary to assure that the exchange water is not diverted from the channel at any point above the most downstream point of use specified in the permit o…

Whenever the title to lands within a district has been or is acquired by the county within which the land is located, by foreclosure of tax liens or otherwise, the county court or board of county commissioners, upon request of the district, may make application under the provisio…

(1) If the Water Resources Commission considers that a certificate of water right does not identify the lands to which the right is appurtenant with sufficient specificity for management, delivery or transfer of that right, the commission may issue a proposed final order clarifyi…

(1) Provided that the proposed transfer complies with all of the provisions of this subsection and will not result in injury to any existing water right, a district with a manager may, for one irrigation season, temporarily transfer the place of use of water appurtenant to any la…

(1) Upon compliance with this section and ORS 540.574 and 540.576, whenever land within the legal boundaries of a district is no longer irrigated or susceptible of irrigation, the district may apply the certificated water to which such land is entitled to other irrigable lands wi…

(1) In accordance with the requirements of subsection (3) of this section, a district may petition the Water Resources Commission for approval and acceptance of a district map indicating the transfer of the location and use of the water rights within the district or any part of t…

After filing a petition under ORS 540.572, the district shall send a copy of the petition and map and a notice to the users of the district whose right of record is to be transferred and who are to receive the transferred right. The copy of the petition and the notice shall be se…

(1) Any user may file with the Water Resources Commission, within 60 days after the date of mailing the notice under ORS 540.576, a protest against approval of the petition, map and transfer. Whenever a timely protest is filed, or in the opinion of the commission a hearing is nec…

(1) In accordance with this section, a district may by petition request that the Water Resources Department approve the permanent transfer of the place of use of water within a district as long as the proposed transfer complies with all of the following: (a) The rate, duty and to…

(1) In accordance with the provisions of this section, a person may request that the Water Resources Department approve the temporary transfer of the place of use and type of use and temporarily change the point of diversion if necessary to convey water to the new temporary place…

The Water Resources Department may deny a change in the point of appropriation under ORS 540.505 to 540.586 for a ground water right if the proposed point of appropriation is for a source of ground water restricted under ORS 536.415 and the proposed use is subject to the restrict…

The Water Resources Department shall submit a report, in the manner provided in ORS 192.245, that shall include a summary of the features of the process employed by the Water Resources Commission to implement ORS 540.585. The report shall be submitted no later than January 31 of …

All attempted transfers or sales, prior to March 6, 1931, to an irrigation district, of water rights which theretofore had been appurtenant to lands located in the district and which lands at the time of the attempted transfer or sale were owned by the county, shall be considered…

(1) Beneficial use shall be the basis, the measure and the limit of all rights to the use of water in this state. Whenever the holder of a perfected and developed water right ceases or fails to use all or part of the water appropriated for a period of five successive years, or fo…

If a district, as defined in ORS 540.505, petitions for a transfer as provided in ORS 540.574 no later than the end of the calendar year of the fifth year of nonuse under ORS 540.610 (1), the forfeiture provisions of ORS 540.610 shall not apply to the lands from which the water r…

Whenever the owner of a perfected and developed water right certifies under oath to the Water Resources Commission that the water right has been abandoned by the owner and that the owner desires cancellation thereof, the commission shall enter an order canceling the water right. …