Current through 2024 Regular Session legislation effective June 6, 2024
Section 537.140 - Application for permit; contents; maps and drawings(1)(a) Each application for a permit to appropriate water shall be made to the Water Resources Department on a form prescribed by the department and shall set forth: (A) The name and mailing address of the applicant;(B) The source of water supply including the name and mailing address of any owner of the land upon which the source of the water supply is located;(C) The nature and amount of the proposed use;(D) The location and description of the proposed ditch, canal or other work, including the name and mailing address of the owner of any lands that are not owned by the applicant and that are crossed by the proposed ditch, canal or other work even if the applicant has obtained written authorization or an easement from the owner;(E) A statement declaring whether the applicant has written authorization or an easement permitting access to nonowned land crossed by the proposed ditch, canal or other work;(F) The time within which it is proposed to begin construction;(G) The time required for completion of the construction;(H) The time for the complete application of the water to the proposed use; and(I) Any other information required in the application form that is necessary to evaluate the application as established by statute and rule.(b) If for agricultural purposes, the application shall give the legal subdivisions of the land and the acreage to be irrigated, as near as may be.(c) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, if for power purposes, the application shall give the nature of the works by means of which the power is to be developed, the head and amount of water to be utilized, and the uses to which the power is to be applied.(d) If for construction of a reservoir, the application shall give the height of dam, the capacity of the reservoir, and the uses to be made of the impounded waters.(e) If for municipal water supply, the application shall give the present population to be served, and, as near as may be, the future requirements of the city.(f) If for mining purposes, the application shall give the nature of the mines to be served, and the methods of supplying and utilizing the water.(2) Any person who has applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a preliminary permit or an exemption from licensing shall, at the same time, apply to the Water Resources Department for a permit to appropriate water for a hydroelectric project. An applicant for a permit to appropriate water for a new hydroelectric project shall submit to the department a complete copy of any application for the project filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or other federal agency. If the copy of the federal application is filed with the department at the same time it is filed with the federal agency, at the department's discretion such copy may fulfill the requirements for an application under subsection (1) of this section.(3) Each application shall be accompanied by any map or drawing and all other data concerning the proposed project and the applicant's ability and intention to construct the project, as may be prescribed by the Water Resources Commission. The accompanying data shall be considered a part of the application.(4) The map or drawing required to accompany the application shall be of sufficient quality and scale to establish the location of the proposed point of diversion and the proposed place of use identified by tax lot, township, range, section and nearest quarter-quarter section along with a notation of the acreage of the proposed place of use, if appropriate. In addition, the department shall accept locational coordinate information, including latitude and longitude as established by a global positioning system. If the application is for a water right for a municipal use, the map need not identify the proposed place of use by tax lot.(5) Each application for a permit to appropriate water shall be accompanied by the examination fee set forth in ORS 536.050(1).(6) If the proposed use of the water is for operation of a mining operation as defined in ORS 517.952, the applicant shall provide the information required under this section as part of the consolidated application under ORS 517.952 to 517.989.(7) Notwithstanding any provision of ORS chapter 183, an application for a permit to appropriate water shall be processed in the manner set forth in ORS 537.120 to 537.360. Nothing in ORS chapter 183 shall be construed to allow additional persons to participate in the process. To the extent that any provision in ORS chapter 183 conflicts with a provision set forth in ORS 537.120 to 537.360, the provisions in ORS 537.120 to 537.360 shall control.Amended by 2013 Ch. 371,§ 31, eff. 6/13/2013, op. 1/1/2014.Amended by 1985 c.673 §27; 1987 c.542 §5; 1989 c.509 §4; 1991 c.735 §32; 1991 c.869 §6; 1993 c.557 §1; 1993 c.591 §2; 1995 c.365 §3; 1995 c.416 §5; 1997 c.446 §1; 1997 c.587 §4