Oregon Administrative Rules
Chapter 690 - WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
Division 77 - INSTREAM WATER RIGHTS
Section 690-077-0076 - Application for an Instream Lease
Universal Citation: OR Admin Rules 690-077-0076
Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) A holder of any of the following types of water rights may enter into a lease to convert all or a portion of a water right to an instream water right for a specified time period not to exceed five years:
(a) Surface water rights for beneficial
use or storage established by a water right certificate or an adjudication
under ORS Chapter 539 as evidenced by court decree; or
(b) A surface water use permit for which a
request for issuance of a water right certificate under ORS
537.250 has been received and
approved by the Director under
537.250, or transfer application
for which an order has been issued under
540.530 approving the change and
for which proper proof of completion of the change has been filed with the
Commission;
(c) Secondary water
rights for the use of stored water established by permit, certificate or court
decree; or
(d) The conserver's
portion of conserved water allocated under ORS
537.445 to
537.500.
(2) The parties to the lease application shall include but are not limited to:
(a) The
holder(s) of the subject water right(s) as the lessor(s);
(b) Any irrigation district or similar
organization as defined in ORS chapters 545, 547, 552, 553, or 554 which
conveys water to the subject water right and the owner of any storage facility
which is the source of the water, as co-lessor, if applicable; and
(c) The lessee, if different than the
Department.
(3) At a minimum, the lease application shall include:
(a) Names and signatures of the
parties;
(b) A description of the
water right(s) to be leased. If only a portion of a water right will be leased,
a clear description, including maps if necessary, of the portion to be
leased;
(c) Rate, total volume,
timing and location of the instream right, including any necessary conditions
to avoid enlargement of the original right or potential injury to other water
right holders;
(d) A description of
how the lease will serve a public use or uses;
(e) If an instream water right exists on the
same reach(es) or lake, or on portions thereof, a statement of whether the
proposed lease is intended to add to the amounts of the existing instream water
rights or to replace a later priority instream right, or portion thereof, with
an earlier priority right.
(f)
Provision insuring the original use will be suspended;
(g) The term of the lease;
(h) A statement by the lessors verifying that
the water rights described in Subsection (3)(b) of this rule have been used
under the terms and conditions of the rights during the last five years, or as
an instream water right, or an explanation why the water right is not subject
to forfeiture under ORS
540.610. As an alternative, an
irrigation district or other water purveyor may provide evidence for owners,
verifying delivery of water for the lands appurtenant to the rights to be
leased;
(i) If the lessor(s), as
identified in Subsection (2)(a) of this rule, is not the deeded landowner to
which the water right is appurtenant, sufficient documentation to demonstrate
that the lessor(s) is authorized to pursue the instream lease. Such
documentation shall include:
(A) A notarized
statement from the landowner consenting to the lease and a copy of the recorded
deed;
(B) A water right conveyance
agreement(s) as defined in OAR chapter 690, division 380 and a copy of the
recorded deed for the landowner at the time the water right was conveyed;
or
(C) Other documentation that
demonstrates to the Department's satisfaction that the lessor(s) is authorized
to pursue the lease in the absence of the consent of the landowner.
(j) The name and address of any
water purveyor that conveys water to the water right(s) described in Subsection
(3)(b) of this rule.
(4) Lease applications shall conform with applicable provisions of OAR 690-077-0015.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 536.025 & 536.027
Stats. Implemented: ORS 537.332 - 537.360, 537.455 - 537.500
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