OAR 690-507-0020
Policies
(1)
All rights to the surface waters of the Umatilla River and its tributaries initiated after September 28, 1987, shall be subordinate to permitted appropriations for the purpose of artificial groundwater recharge established before that date.(2)
To support present and proposed basin resource developments, no out-of-basin or out-of-state appropriations of water shall be made or granted by any state agency or public corporation of the state for the waters of the Umatilla River Basin.(3)
Rights to use water for industrial or mining purposes granted by any state agency shall be issued only on condition that any effluent or return flows from such uses shall not interfere with other beneficial uses of water.(4)
Future permits for consumptive water use shall be issued only on condition that efficient water use techniques or water conservation measures are proposed in the application. Failure to implement the proposed measures shall be a violation of the terms of the permit.(5)
Municipal water supplies, interstate cooperation in water management, instream needs, out-of-stream needs, water quality and watershed management are issues of concern in the Umatilla River Basin. The Commission’s policies on these issues are as follows:(a)
Municipal water supply: In addressing the issue of municipal water supply in the Umatilla River Basin, it shall be the Commission’s policy to:(A)
Assist cities with limited financial resources secure needed capital to develop, expand and improve municipal water supplies;(B)
Promote and aid municipal water conservation and encourage cities to plan for water service emergencies;(C)
Encourage the use of artificial groundwater recharge to supplement city groundwater supplies and help reduce water level declines in the basalt groundwater reservoir;(D)
Encourage and promote the concept of regional municipal water supply systems and preserve the options for proposed systems;(E)
Promote and support the purchase and transfer of water rights to municipal use;(F)
Promote the continued viability of municipal water systems reliant on the basalt groundwater reservoir.(b)
Interstate cooperation on water management: In addressing the issue of interstate cooperation on water management, it shall be the Commission’s policy to:(A)
Coordinate and cooperate with the state of Washington in managing the water resources of the Walla Walla subbasin to the extent judicial decisions, stipulations and statutory authority allow;(B)
Open negotiations with the Washington Department of Ecology by 1990.(c)
Instream needs: In addressing the issue of instream needs, it shall be the Commission’s policy to:(A)
Support the anadromous fish production goals of the Northwest Power Planning Council, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation for the Umatilla River Basin;(B)
Protect and enhance instream values by limiting new uses of water from heavily appropriated streams and managing interconnected surface and groundwater conjunctively;(C)
Support and encourage watershed and riparian zone projects which improve instream habitat and water quantity and quality, and which provide multiple water resources benefits.(d)
Out-of-stream use: In addressing the issue of out-of-stream use, it shall be the Commission’s policy to:(A)
Require conservation and efficient water use;(B)
Control growth of water demand by limiting new irrigation appropriations on selected streams to stored or conserved water;(C)
Support the efficient use of surplus surface and groundwater to supplement declining groundwater levels through artificial groundwater recharge;(D)
Support development of multipurpose surface storage consistent with policies in paragraphs (A), (B), and (C) of this subsection.(e)
Water quality: In addressing the issue of water quality, it shall be the Commission’s policy to:(A)
Encourage and promote a formal groundwater quality monitoring program to ensure safe municipal and domestic groundwater supplies;(B)
Encourage development of management plans for groundwater aquifers susceptible to contamination;(C)
Support surface water quality standards to satisfy selected subbasin beneficial water uses identified in this basin program;(D)
Encourage and promote control of nonpoint and point sources of water pollution.(f)
Watershed management: In addressing the issue of watershed management, it shall be the Commission’s policy to:(A)
Encourage and promote improvements in water quality, quantity, and related resources through agency-public cooperation and education about the benefits of watershed management;(B)
Encourage public and private landowners and managers to employ best management practices to benefit water quality and quantity;(C)
Encourage and support the retirement of highly erodible cropland as a means to enhance water quality and improve runoff patterns;(D)
Encourage and support riparian and stream channel enhancement as a means of improving flow distribution, water quality and related resource values.
Source:
Rule 690-507-0020 — Policies, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=690-507-0020.