REMINDER-2016 Year End Reporting to Oregon Water Resources Department for Oregon Water Rights and Uses
It’s getting close to that time of year again! As the 2016 irrigation season comes to a close, we here at Schroeder Law Offices want to remind you of the December deadlines to report measurements for your water uses to Water Resources Department (“OWRD”).
There are two different reporting deadlines to be aware of in December. The first applies to ground water uses in either the Stage Gulch or Butter Creek Critical Ground Water Areas (“CGWA”). Ground water users in these CGWA are required to report flow meter and/or power readings to OWRD by December 1st each year. The photo below shows OWRD’s designation of various ground water areas.
More information about requirements for ground water use in the Stage Gulch or Butter Creek CGWA is contained in Oregon Administrative Rules 690-507-0610 to 690-507-0830. http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/pages/rules/oars_600/oar_690/690_507.html. To obtain the required reporting form contact OWRD’s ground water section.
The second December reporting deadline is a permit or certificate specific requirement and applies to both ground water and surface water rights. If your paper water right permit or water right certificate requires annual reporting it will include language along these lines:
You are also required to keep a complete record of the amount of water used each month and submit a report that includes the recorded water use measurements to OWRD annually, or more frequently if required by the Director. Further, the Director may require you to report general water use information, including the place and nature of use of water under the permit.
Your annual water use report is due to OWRD by December 31 each year.
Water use recording and reporting forms are available on the OWRD website. Additionally, you may report your water use online.
As you will note, the reporting period is based on the “water year” rather than the calendar year. OWRD considers the “water year” October through September annually, as outlined in the enclosed form.
We encourage you to take meter readings at the end of each month and keep these readings in your own files along with a copy of the report that you submit to OWRD.
Stay tuned to the blog throughout the year for more helpful water use related reporting deadlines.