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Oregon is known for its rain. Despite this reputation, water in Oregon is a limited resourceand the state's water laws are undergoing changes. Oregon's water laws are based on theprinciple of prior appropriation. The first person (or municipality) to obtain a water right ona stream is the last to be denied water during low flow periods. Historically, municipalitieswere allowed to hold water right permits for quantities far in excess of their current needsor infrastructure capacities.Oregon recently imposed restrictions on such reservations for municipalities. At least inpart, this change was prompted by numerous Endangered Species Listings for salmonspecies. The new rules require extensive justification for permit extensions. They also linkextensions to preparation and implementation of Water Management and ConservationPlans. In such plans, a city must commit to implementing conservation measures and toachieving target goals in reducing unaccounted for water.This paper presents background information on Oregon municipal water use, describes therecent rule changes, and presents case histories that highlight the growing value of water inOregon. Includes figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 06/15/2003 Number of Pages: 8File Size: 1 file , 350 KB