ORS 540.610
Use as measure of water right

  • forfeiture for nonuse
  • confirmation of rights of municipalities

(1)

Beneficial use shall be the basis, the measure and the limit of all rights to the use of water in this state. Whenever the owner of a perfected and developed water right ceases or fails to use all or part of the water appropriated for a period of five successive years, the failure to use shall establish a rebuttable presumption of forfeiture of all or part of the water right.

(2)

Upon a showing of failure to use beneficially for five successive years, the appropriator has the burden of rebutting the presumption of forfeiture by showing one or more of the following:

(a)

The water right is for use of water, or rights of use, acquired by cities and towns in this state, by appropriation or by purchase, for all reasonable and usual municipal purposes.

(b)

A finding of forfeiture would impair the rights of such cities and towns to the use of water, whether acquired by appropriation or purchase, or heretofore recognized by act of the legislature, or which may hereafter be acquired.

(c)

The use of water, or rights of use, are appurtenant to property obtained by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs under ORS 407.135 (Authority of department) or 407.145 (Purchase and control of property) for three years after the expiration of the period of redemption provided for in ORS 18.964 (Time for redemption) while the land is held by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, even if during such time the water is not used for a period of more than five successive years.

(d)

The use of water, or rights of use, under a water right, if the owner of the property to which the right is appurtenant is unable to use the water due to economic hardship as defined by rule by the Water Resources Commission.

(e)

The period of nonuse occurred during a period of time within which land was withdrawn from use in accordance with the Act of Congress of May 28, 1956, chapter 327 (7 U.S.C. 1801-1814; 1821-1824; 1831-1837), or the Federal Conservation Reserve Program, Act of Congress of December 23, 1985, chapter 198 (16 U.S.C. 3831-3836, 3841-3845). If necessary, in a cancellation proceeding under this section, the water right holder rebutting the presumption under this paragraph shall provide documentation that the water right holder’s land was withdrawn from use under a federal reserve program.

(f)

The end of the alleged period of nonuse occurred more than 15 years before the date upon which evidence of nonuse was submitted to the commission or the commission initiated cancellation proceedings under ORS 540.631 (Cancellation of forfeited water right), whichever occurs first.

(g)

The owner of the property to which the water right was appurtenant is unable to use the water because the use of water under the right is discontinued under an order of the commission under ORS 537.775 (Wasteful or defective wells).

(h)

The nonuse occurred during a period of time within which the water right holder was using reclaimed water in lieu of using water under an existing water right.

(i)

The nonuse occurred during a period of time within which the water right holder was reusing water through land application as authorized by ORS 537.141 (Uses of water not requiring water right application, permit or certificate) (1)(i) or 537.545 (Exempt uses) (1)(g) in lieu of using water under an existing water right.

(j)

The owner or occupant of the property to which the water right is appurtenant was unable to make full beneficial use of the water because water was not available. A water right holder rebutting the presumption under this paragraph shall provide evidence that the water right holder was ready, willing and able to use the water had it been available.

(k)

The holder of a water right is prohibited by law from using the water. If the prohibition is subject to remedial action that would allow the use of the water, the water right holder shall provide evidence that the water right holder is conducting the remedial action with reasonable diligence.

(L)

The nonuse occurred during a period of time within which the exercise of all or part of the water right was not necessary due to climatic conditions, so long as the water right holder had a facility capable of handling the full allowed rate and duty, and was otherwise ready, willing and able to use the entire amount of water allowed under the water right.

(m)

The nonuse occurred during a period of time within which the water was included in a transfer application pending before the Water Resources Department.

(n)

The nonuse of a supplemental water right occurred during a period of time when the primary water right used in conjunction with that supplemental water right was leased as an in-stream water right pursuant to ORS 537.348 (Purchase, lease or gift of water right for conversion to in-stream water right).

(3)

Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, if the owner of a perfected and developed water right uses less water to accomplish the beneficial use allowed by the right, the right is not subject to forfeiture so long as:

(a)

The user has a facility capable of handling the entire rate and duty authorized under the right; and

(b)

The user is otherwise ready, willing and able to make full use of the right.

(4)

The right of all cities and towns in this state to acquire rights to the use of the water of natural streams and lakes, not otherwise appropriated, and subject to existing rights, for all reasonable and usual municipal purposes, and for such future reasonable and usual municipal purposes as may reasonably be anticipated by reason of growth of population, or to secure sufficient water supply in cases of emergency, is expressly confirmed.

(5)

After a water right is forfeited under subsection (1) of this section, the water that was the subject of use shall revert to the public and become again the subject of appropriation in the manner provided by law, subject to existing priorities. [Amended by 1985 c.689 §5; 1987 c.339 §4; 1989 c.699 §1; 1989 c.833 §61a; 1991 c.370 §6; 1995 c.356 §2; 1995 c.366 §1; 1997 c.42 §5; 1997 c.244 §5; 1997 c.283 §1; 1999 c.335 §3; 1999 c.804 §§3,4; 2005 c.222 §1; 2005 c.542 §70; 2005 c.625 §70]

Source: Section 540.610 — Use as measure of water right; forfeiture for nonuse; confirmation of rights of municipalities, https://www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/bills_laws/ors/ors540.­html.

Notes of Decisions

Water certificate holder who used water only to wet some of her land to assist with plowing did not “irrigate” her land and this was not sufficient “beneficial use” to prevent forfeiture of water right for nonuse. Hennings v. Water Resources Dept., 50 Or App 121, 622 P2d 333 (1981)

Where water rights certificate authorized use of 40 cubic feet of water per second for power generation purposes, but for more than five consecutive years flow in creek at mill’s diversion point was only 22 cubic feet per second, there was evidence to support finding of Director of Water Resources Department that there had been forfeiture of 15.6 cubic feet per second. Crandall v. Water Resources Department, 290 Or 771, 626 P2d 877 (1981)

Proof that during period of five successive years an average of only 22 cubic feet per second of water was available for use by flour mill having capacity of 24.4 cubic feet per second was not proof that mill never used 24.4 cubic feet per second, so there was no proof that five year period of nonuse necessary for cancellation of water right under this section had run. Crandall v. Water Resources Dept., 290 Or 771, 626 P2d 877 (1981)

Under this section, proponents of cancellation of water rights have burden to prove by reliable and substantial evidence that holder of water right failed to use appropriated water for period of five successive years. Rencken v. Young, 300 Or 352, 711 P2d 954 (1985)

This section is a forfeiture statute and no intent to abandon water right is required. Rencken v. Young, 300 Or 352, 711 P2d 954 (1985)

Where water is drawn from designated source, in designated amount and for beneficial use, unauthorized change in point of diversion does not constitute failure to use water. Russell-Smith v. Water Resources Dept., 152 Or App 88, 952 P2d 104 (1998), Sup Ct review denied

Requirement for continuity of beneficial use applies for periods preceding perfection of water right. Hale v. Water Resources Dept., 184 Or App 36, 55 P3d 497 (2002)

Use of water on land other than land specified in water right certificate constitutes nonuse for purpose of forfeiture. Hannigan v. Hinton, 195 Or App 345, 97 P3d 1256 (2004)

Law Review Citations

28 EL 919, 1137 (1998); 36 EL 1383 (2006)

540.010
Water districts
540.020
Watermasters
540.030
Water Resources Director
540.045
Watermaster duties
540.050
Appearance of district attorney
540.060
Arrest by watermaster
540.075
Office and equipment for watermaster
540.080
Assistant watermasters
540.100
Division of water among users
540.120
Lien for wages and expense
540.130
Advance payment
540.135
Disposition of funds collected under ORS 540.100 to 540.130 and 540.220
540.140
Insufficiency of water
540.145
Distribution of water
540.150
Rotation in water use
540.155
Periodic review and report regarding department program for Deschutes Basin ground water study area
540.210
Distribution from ditch or reservoir
540.220
Payment of assistant watermaster
540.230
Distribution of waste or seepage water
540.240
Lien for wages and expense
540.250
Lien, notice of intent to claim
540.260
Lien for wages and expense
540.270
Distribution from irrigation districts and improvement companies
540.310
Ditches and canals
540.320
Noncompliance with requirements
540.330
Reservoirs
540.340
Reservoir and diversion dam
540.355
Inspection, evaluation and assessment of hydraulic structures
540.410
Delivery of reservoir water
540.420
Jointly owned ditches
540.430
Nonpayment by ditch co-owner
540.435
Installation of totalizing measuring device
540.440
Owner to clear weeds from ditch right of way
540.443
Definitions for ORS 540.443 to 540.491
540.446
Dams not subject to ORS 540.443 to 540.491
540.449
Construction plan approval
540.452
Removal plan approval
540.455
Dam inspections and analysis
540.458
Notice for owner corrective action to address safety issues
540.461
Plan and time frame for corrective action
540.464
Examinations, inspections and reports by specialists
540.467
Owner action to address maintenance issues
540.470
Contested case hearings
540.473
Application for injunction
540.476
Action to declare dam public nuisance
540.479
Dam owner responsibilities
540.482
Emergency action plan for dam with high hazard rating
540.485
Actual or potential dam failure
540.488
Water Resources Commission duties and powers
540.491
Dam owner or operator liability
540.505
Definitions
540.510
Appurtenancy of water to premises
540.520
Application for change of use, place of use or point of diversion
540.523
Temporary transfer of water right or permit
540.524
Substitution of supplemental water right from ground water source for primary water right from surface water source
540.525
Installation of fish screening or by-pass device as prerequisite for transfer of point of diversion
540.530
Order authorizing change of use, place of use or point of diversion
540.531
Transfer of surface water point of diversion to ground water
540.532
Request for change in point of diversion to reflect historical use
540.533
Application for exchange of water
540.535
Notice of application for exchange
540.537
Order allowing exchange
540.539
Exchange subject to beneficial use requirements
540.541
Delivery and use of water under exchange
540.543
Regulation of headgates when water provided by exchange
540.545
Transfer of water rights following county acquisition of land
540.560
Order changing description of land to which water right is appurtenant
540.570
Temporary transfers within districts
540.572
Application of certificated water elsewhere within district
540.574
Petition for approval of transfer
540.576
Notice of petition
540.578
Filing of protest
540.580
Permanent transfer of place of use of water within district
540.585
Temporary transfers within Deschutes River Basin
540.587
Report on implementation of temporary transfer provisions
540.589
Ratification of prior transfer of water rights to irrigation district
540.610
Use as measure of water right
540.612
Exemption from forfeiture
540.621
Cancellation of abandoned water right upon request of owner
540.631
Cancellation of forfeited water right
540.641
Protest of cancellation
540.650
Issuance of new water right certificate for water rights not canceled
540.660
Affidavit of watermaster that circumstances prevent use of water right in accordance with terms of certificate
540.670
Effect of cancellation of primary water right on supplemental right
540.710
Interference with headgate, or use of water denied by watermaster or other authority
540.720
Unauthorized use or waste of water
540.730
Obstruction interfering with access to or use of works
540.740
Injunctive relief against action of watermaster
540.750
Injunction suits
540.990
Criminal penalties
540.995
Civil penalties
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