ORS 536.720: Declaration of state authority; Governor’s power to order water conservation or curtailment plan.

(1) Because municipal and other political subdivision boundaries do not conform with the geographic boundaries of the 18 major drainage basins, or associated subbasins in the state, and because problems caused by a severe continuing drought may exceed local ability to control, the Legislative Assembly declares that water resource conservation in time of severe, continuing drought requires the exercise of state authority. (2)(a) After a declaration that a severe, continuing drought exists, or is likely to exist, the Governor may order individual state agencies and political subdivisions within any drainage basin or subbasin to implement, within a time certain following the declaration, a water conservation or curtailment plan or both, approved under ORS 536.780. (b) Each state agency and political subdivision ordered to implement a water conservation or curtailment plan shall file with the Water Resources Commission such periodic reports regarding implementation of the plans as the commission or the Governor may require. (3) Orders provided for in subsection (2) of this section and curtailments, adjustments, allocations and regulations ordered pursuant thereto shall be designed insofar as practicable not to discriminate within any class of consumers. (4) It is the intent of the Legislative Assembly that curtailments, adjustments, allocations and regulations ordered pursuant to subsection (2) of this section be continued only so long as a declaration by the Governor of the existence of severe, continuing drought is in effect. (5) The Governor may direct individual state agencies and political subdivisions of this state to seek enforcement of all orders and regulations issued pursuant to ORS 536.780 and subsection (2) of this section. [1977 c.541 §2; 1985 c.673 §20; 1989 c.87 §7]