OAR 690-500-0010: Basin Programs Preamble

(1) The Water Resources Commission is responsible for the establishment of policy and procedures for the use and control of the state’s water resources. In executing this responsibility, the Commission develops, adopts and periodically modifies programs for the state’s major drainage basins. (2) Basin programs are administrative rules which establish water management policies and objectives and which govern the appropriation and use of the surface and ground water within each of the respective basins. The rules classify surface and ground waters according to the uses which are permitted, may establish preferences among uses, may withdraw surface and groundwaters from further appropriation, may reserve waters for specified future uses, and may establish minimum perennial streamflows. These rules are in addition to rules with statewide applicability which govern the allocation and use of water. (3) The Commission has adopted programs for the following basins: (a) North Coast Basin (division 501); (b) Willamette Basin (division 502); (c) Sandy Basin (division 503); (d) Hood Basin (division 504); (e) Deschutes Basin (division 505); (f) John Day Basin (division 506); (g) Umatilla Basin (division 507); (h) Grand Ronde Basin (division 508); (i) Powder Basin (division 509); (j) Malheur — Owyhee Basins (division 510); (k) Goose and Summer Lakes Basin (division 513); (l) Rogue Basin (division 515); (m) Umpqua Basin (division 516); (n) South Coast Basin (division 517); (o) Mid Coast Basin (division 518); (p) Columbia River (division 519); (q) Middle Snake River Basin (division 520). (4) Although the Commission has not adopted a comprehensive basin program for the waters of the Malheur Lake Basin, minimum perennial stream-flows have been adopted for specified streams in the basin. These minimum perennial streamflows are in division 512. Allocation and use of the waters of the basin also are subject to administrative rules with statewide applicability. (5) The Commission has not adopted a comprehensive basin program for the waters of the Klamath Basin. Allocation and use of the waters of the basin are subject to administrative rules with statewide applicability and to the provisions of the Klamath River Basin Compact (ORS 542.620).