ORS 537.705¹
Ground water appurtenant
  • • change in use, place of use or point of appropriation

All ground water used in this state for any purpose shall remain appurtenant to the premises upon which it is used and no change in use or place of use of any ground water for any purpose may be made without compliance with a procedure as nearly as possible like that set forth in ORS 540.520 (Application for change of use, place of use or point of diversion) and 540.530 (Order authorizing change of use, place of use or point of diversion). However, the owner of any ground water right may, upon compliance with a procedure as nearly as possible like that set forth in ORS 540.520 (Application for change of use, place of use or point of diversion) and 540.530 (Order authorizing change of use, place of use or point of diversion), change the use and place of use, the point of appropriation or the use theretofore made of the ground water in all cases without losing priority of the right theretofore established. [1955 c.708 §22]

§§ 537.505 (Short title) to 537.795 (ORS 537.505 to 537.795 supplementary)

Notes of Decisions

Ground Water Act of 1955, construed together with ORS chapter 536, governing ad­min­is­tra­­tion of wa­ter resources generally, cannot be read as expressly prohibiting local bodies from engaging in regulatory ac­tivity consistent with statute or agency regula­tions. Water Resources Dept. v. City of Klamath Falls, 68 Or App 148, 682 P2d 779 (1984), Sup Ct review denied

Atty. Gen. Opinions

Require­ments for exploring for or produc­tion of geothermal or oil or gas resources, (1974) Vol 37, p 68

Law Review Cita­tions

4 EL 333 (1974)

Chapter 537

Notes of Decisions

Water control district, in applying for wa­ter appropria­tion permit for hydroelectric project, was exempt from licensing pro­vi­sions of ORS 543.010 (Definitions for ORS 543.010 to 543.610) to 543.620 and needed only to comply with require­ments of this Chapter. Steamboaters v. Winchester Water Control Dist., 69 Or App 596, 688 P2d 92 (1984), Sup Ct review denied

Atty. Gen. Opinions

Reserva­tion to state of "all coal and other minerals" in deed of land by state as reserva­tion of geothermal resources, (1980) Vol 41, p 298

Law Review Cita­tions

11 EL 387 (1981); 16 EL 583, 592 (1986); 28 WLR 285 (1992)

1 Legislative Counsel Committee, CHAPTER 537—Appropriation of Water Generally, https://­www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/­bills_laws/­Archive/­2007ors537.­pdf (2007) (last ac­cessed Feb. 12, 2009).
 
2 Legislative Counsel Committee, Annotations to the Oregon Revised Stat­utes, Cumulative Supplement - 2007, Chapter 537, https://­www.­oregonlegislature.­gov/­bills_laws/­ors/­537ano.­htm (2007) (last ac­cessed Feb. 12, 2009).
 
3 OregonLaws.org assembles these lists by analyzing references between Sections. Each listed item refers back to the current Section in its own text. The result reveals relationships in the code that may not have otherwise been apparent. Currency Information