Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 537 § 537.670 — Determination of rights to appropriate ground water of ground water reservoir

Determination of rights to appropriate ground water of ground water reservoir. (1) The Water Resources Director upon the motion of the director or, in the discretion of the director, upon receipt of a petition therefor by any one or more appropriators of ground water from such ground water reservoir, may proceed to make a final determination of the rights to appropriate the ground water of any ground water reservoir in this state. (2) The director shall prepare a notice of intent to begin a determination referred to in subsection (1) of this section. The notice shall set forth a place and time when the director or the authorized assistant of the director shall begin the taking of testimony as to the rights of the various claimants to appropriate the ground water of the ground water reservoir and as to the boundaries and depth thereof. A copy of the notice shall be delivered to each person or public agency known to the director from an examination of the records in the Water Resources Department to be a claimant to a right to appropriate ground water of the ground water reservoir or any surface water within the area in which the ground water reservoir is located. The notice shall also be published in at least one issue each week for at least two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in each county in which the ground water reservoir or any part thereof is located. If the ground water reservoir is located in whole or in part within the limits of any city, the notice shall be published in at least one issue each week for at least two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the city, if any, and copies of the notice shall be delivered to the mayor or chairperson of the governing body of the city. Copies of the notice shall be delivered and the last publication date of published notices shall be at least 30 days prior to the taking of any testimony. (3) The director shall enclose with each copy of the notice referred to in subsection (2) of this section delivered to each person or public agency known to be a claimant to a right to appropriate ground water of the ground water reservoir a blank form on which such claimant shall present in writing all the particulars necessary for determination of the right of the claimant as may be prescribed by the director. The director may require each claimant to certify to the statements of the claimant under oath, and the director or the authorized assistant of the director may administer such oaths. [1955 c.708 §15; 1991 c.102 §3]