Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 537 § 537.735 — Rules

Rules designating critical ground water area. (1) A rule adopted by the Water Resources Commission under ORS 537.730 shall: (a) Define the boundaries of the critical ground water area and shall indicate which of the ground water reservoirs located either in whole or in part within the area in question are included within the critical ground water area. Any number of ground water reservoirs which either wholly or partially overlie one another may be included within the same critical ground water area. (b) Contain a provision requiring a periodic review of conditions in the critical ground water area. The review shall be in sufficient detail to evaluate the continuing need for the critical ground water area designation and shall occur no less frequently than once every 10 years. (2) In adopting the rule, the commission shall consider any orders or permits applicable to the reservoir issued by the governing board or State Geologist of the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries under ORS chapter 522. (3) A rule by the commission under subsection (1) of this section may include any one or more of the following corrective control provisions: (a) A provision closing the critical ground water area to any further appropriation of ground water, in which event the commission shall thereafter refuse to accept any application for a permit to appropriate ground water located within such critical area. (b) A provision determining the permissible total withdrawal of ground water in the critical area each day, month or year. (c) The disposition of any application for a water right permit for the use of water in the area that is pending at the time the commission initiates the rulemaking process or that is received during the rulemaking process. (d) Any one or more provisions making such additional requirements as are necessary to protect the public welfare, health and safety in accordance with the intent, purposes and requirements of ORS 537.505 to 537.795 and 537.992. (e) A provision closing all or part of the critical ground water area to further appropriation of ground water for its thermal characteristics. (f) A provision determining the permissible change in thermal characteristics of ground water in all or part of the critical ground water area each day, month or year. Insofar as may be reasonably done, the Water Resources Director shall apportion the permissible total temperature impact among those appropriators whose exercise of valid rights in the critical area affect the thermal characteristics of the ground water, in accordance with the relative dates of priority of such rights. [1955 c.708 §27; 1981 c.589 §6; 1981 c.919 §1; 1985 c.673 §63; 1989 c.201 §5; 1991 c.400 §5]