OAR 603-095-0840: Required Prevention and Control Measures

(1) All landowners or operators conducting activities on lands in agricultural use shall be in compliance with the following criteria. A landowner or operator shall be responsible for only those required and prohibited conditions caused by activities conducted on land managed by the landowner or operator. Criteria do not apply to conditions resulting from unusual weather events or other exceptional circumstances that could not have been reasonably anticipated. (2) Riparian Management: (a) Agricultural activities will allow for the development of riparian vegetation along all streams, consistent with site capability, to provide: (A) Shade for minimizing solar heating of the stream; (B) Streambank stability from flows at or below those expected to occur during or following a 25-year, 24-hour storm event; (C) Filtration, settlement, and biological uptake of sediment, organic material, nutrients, and pesticides in surface runoff by intercepting or slowing overland flow; (b) If any agricultural activity disturbs streamside vegetation to impair the conditions and functions described in 603-095-3740(5)(a), the landowner or operator must replant or restore the disturbed area with vegetation that will provide the functions required in 603-095- 0840(2)(a)(A)(B)(C). (c) Exemptions: (A) Levees and dikes are exempt from Riparian Management OAR 603-095-0840(2)(a) and (b), except for areas on the river-side of these structures that are not part of the structures and which can be vegetated without violating U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vegetation standards. (B) Drainage areas where the only connection to other waterbodies are through pumps shall be exempt from Riparian Management OAR 603-095-0840(2)(a) and (b). (C) Access to natural waterways for livestock watering and stream crossings are allowed such that livestock use is limited to only the amount of time necessary for watering and crossing the waterway. (D) Drainage and irrigation ditches managed in compliance with OAR 603-095-0840(3) are exempt from Riparian Management 603-095-0840(2)(a) and (b). (3) Drainage and irrigation ditches (channels legally constructed): (a) Construction, maintenance, and use of surface drainage ditches shall not result in sediment delivery to waters of the state from soil erosion caused by excessive channel slope, unstable channel cross section, or placement of disposed soils. (b) Ditch bank vegetation shall be present to stabilize earthen ditch banks. (c) Technical criteria to determine compliance with OAR 603-095-0840(3)(a) and (b) are: (A) Construction and maintenance of drainage and irrigation ditches utilize ditch slope and ditch cross section that are appropriate to the site. (B) Disposed soils from construction and maintenance of drainage and irrigation ditches are placed such that sediment delivery to waters of the state from the placement of these soils is consistent with natural background sediment delivery from these sites. (d) Exemptions: Bank vegetation damaged and soils exposed during maintenance (as defined in OAR 141-085-0010(22)) and construction, in accordance with Division of State Lands rules. Bank vegetation must be reestablished as soon as practicable after construction and maintenance are completed. However, sediment delivery to waters of the state shall not result from inappropriate ditch slope and cross section or from placement of disposed soils. (4) Tide Gates. Tide gates shall open and close as designed. (5) Erosion and Sediment Control: (a) Landowners must prevent soil erosion to protect against sediment delivery to streams. (b) Private roads that traverse rural lands or private roads used for agricultural activities shall be constructed and maintained such that road surfaces, fill and associated structures are designed and maintained to limit contributing sediment to waters of the state. All private roads on agricultural lands not subject to the Oregon Forest Practices Act are subject to this regulation. Exceptions: Roads subject to the Oregon Forest Practices Act. (c) Agricultural lands shall be managed to prevent and control runoff of sediment to public road drainage systems. (d) Except for operations governed by the Oregon Forest Practices Act, no activities related to the conversion of woodland to non-woodland agricultural uses that require removal of the majority of woody material from a parcel of land, such that the land no longer meets the definition of woodland, shall be conducted in a manner which results in the placement of soil, the delivery of sediment or the sloughing of soil into waters of the state, the initiation or aggravation of streambank erosion, or the loss of a healthy riparian streambank condition as defined in OAR 603-095-0840(2). (6) Manure, Nutrients, and Other Waste: (a) No person conducting agricultural land management shall cause pollution of any waters of the state or place or cause to be placed any wastes in a location where such wastes are likely to escape or be carried into the waters of the state by any means. (b) No person conducting agricultural land management shall discharge any wastes into the waters of the state if the discharge reduces the quality of such waters below the water quality standards established by rule for such waters by the Environmental Quality Commission. (c) No person shall violate the conditions of any waste discharge permit issued under ORS 468B.050. (d) Exceptions: Access to natural waterways for livestock watering and stream crossings are allowed such that livestock use is limited to only the amount of time necessary for watering and crossing the waterway.