The Oregon Water Trust

1
The Oregon Water Trust
Project ID 27020, Grande Ronde Subbasin Water
Right Acquisition Program
Presentation to the ISRP, September 12, 2001 La
Grande, Oregon
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The Oregon Water Trust
Mission

• Acquire consumptive water rights through gift,
  lease, or purchase

• Commit the water rights to legally protected
  instream flows

• Enhance streamflows and aquatic habitat, with
  emphasis on key tributary habitat

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Strategic Focus

• Flow restoration on key tributary habitat

• Acquisition of relatively small amounts of water
  that significantly impact flow.

• Acquisition of Senior Water Rights that are
  protectable instream and provide demonstrable
  ecological benefits

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Oregon Water Law

• ORS 537.348
• Instream Water Rights Act
• individual can purchase, lease, or receive as
  gift, part, or all, of any water right
• new instream right retains original priority date

• ORS 537.455 - 537.500
• Conserved Water Program
• water right holders can keep a portion of the
  water they conserve, and can....
• lease, sell, or donate the conserved water to
  instream use

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OWT Tools

• Permanent or long-term transfers to instream
  flow (ORS 537.348)

• Short term and/or split season leasing (OAR
  690-077-0077 ORS 537.348(3))

• Conserved water projects (ORS 537.455 to 537.500)

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Working in Tributaries

• Individual Water Right Holders (not part of an
  organized irrigation district)

• Small to Medium Size Parcels Where Irrigation is
  to Produce Feed for Livestock

• Extensive Research on Systems (habitat and water
  rights) and Careful Relationship Building Is
  Required

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Groundwork

• OWT has already made contacts and established a
  presence in the Grande Ronde Basin

• Project Manager has traveled extensively in
  basin, meeting with landowners and discussing
  potential acquisitions

• Currently working with local partners to
  identify instream flow needs and acquisition
  opportunities

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Project Goals

• Research and identify ecologically significant
  tributaries to target for water rights
  acquisitions

• Acquire at least 3.0 cfs of protectable and
  ecologically significant water on key tributaries
  
• Lay foundation for additional future acquisitions
  through careful research of key systems and
  continued presence in basin

• Continue to build support for (and understanding
  of) instream water right acquisitions to serve as
  model for similar efforts called for under
  biological opinion and fish and wildlife program