ORS 537.460: Legislative findings; policy.
Edition: 2025 EditionEffective: 2026-01-01Last verified: 2026-09-07
(1) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that conservation and efficient utilization of water benefits all water users, provides water to satisfy current and future needs through reduction of consumptive waste, improves water quality by reducing contaminated return flow, prevents erosion and allows increased in-stream flow. (2) It is therefore declared to be the policy of the State of Oregon to: (a) Aggressively promote conservation; (b) Encourage the highest and best use of water by allowing the sale or lease of the right to the use of conserved water; and (c) Encourage local cooperation and coordination in development of conservation projects to provide incentives for increased efficiency and to improve streamflows. (3) As used in this section, “efficient utilization” means use without waste, upgrading of irrigation equipment to comply with modern practices within a reasonable time period or other methods used to meet both current and future water needs at the least cost. [1987 c.264 §2; 1993 c.641 §2; 2003 c.93 §1; 2005 c.22 §379]
Official history and status
History: Note: See note under 537.455.
Administrative rules citing this section
- OAR 690-013-0005: Introduction — implements
- OAR 690-013-0010: Definitions — implements
- OAR 690-013-0030: Eligibility to Petition — implements
- OAR 690-013-0050: Individual Applications — implements
- OAR 690-013-0070: Interim Transfers — implements
- OAR 690-013-0100: District Petitions — implements
- OAR 690-013-0110: Requests for Additional Information — implements
- OAR 690-013-0150: District Shall Certify Petition — implements
- OAR 690-013-0310: Processing of Petition — implements
- OAR 690-013-0350: Field Verification of the Petition and Map — implements
- OAR 690-018-0010: Purpose and Applicability — implements
- OAR 690-018-0012: Allocation Formula and Process — implements
- OAR 690-018-0014: Timing of applications — implements
- OAR 690-018-0020: Definitions — implements
- OAR 690-018-0025: District Requirements — implements
- OAR 690-018-0040: Application Requirements — implements
- OAR 690-018-0050: Processing a Conservation Application and Approval of a Conservation Project — implements
- OAR 690-018-0062: Completion of Conservation Project and Testing Period — implements
- OAR 690-018-0065: Finalization of Conservation Project — implements
- OAR 690-018-0080: Management of Conserved Water — implements
- OAR 690-018-0090: Change in Use of Conserved Water — implements
This rule cites
No citations extracted.
Cited by
No inbound citations found.
Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors537.html