Description: When the Water Resources Commission determines that it is necessary to ensure compliance with the state water resources policy or that it is otherwise necessary in the public interest to conserve the water resources of this state for the maximum beneficial use and control thereof that any unappropriated waters of this state, including unappropriated waters released from storage or impoundment into the natural flow of a stream for specified purposes, be withdrawn from appropriation for all or any uses including exempt uses under ORS 537.545 (Exempt uses), the Commission, on behalf of the state, may issue an order of withdrawal.
The withdrawals as described in Division 80 are represented in this spatial dataset.
Description: The Department’s role is to protect existing water rights by preventing excessive groundwater declines, restoring aquifer stability, and preserving aquifers with limited storage capacity for designated high public value uses. The Department has several administrative tools for the management of the state's groundwater resources. New uses of groundwater may be restrictively classified within the basin programs. Unappropriated groundwater may be withdrawn from further appropriation by an order of the Water Resources Commission. A critical groundwater area boundary may be established by rule and restrictions to existing groundwater uses within the critical area may be designated by a contested case hearing and order of the commission.There are 14 areas in Oregon in which groundwater has been restrictively classified. The limitations to new groundwater uses are listed in the pertinent basin programs. The Fort Rock area is within the Goose and Summer Lakes Basin (OAR 690-513). The Ella Butte area is within the Umatilla Basin (OAR 690-507). There are 12 such areas, known as groundwater limited areas, in the northern Willamette Valley, including both the Willamette and Sandy basins (OAR 690-502 & OAR 690-503). These areas are in the following approximate locations: Sandy-Boring, Damascus, Gladtidings, Kingston, Mt. Angel, Sherwood-Dammasch-Wilsonville, Stayton-Sublimity, Parrett Mountain, Chehalem Mountain, Eola Hills, South Salem Hills, and Amity Hills-Walnut Hill.There are seven critical groundwater areas in Oregon. Four of these, the Ordnance Gravel Critical Groundwater Area, Ordnance Basalt Critical Groundwater Area, Butter Creek Critical Groundwater Area and Stage Gulch Critical Groundwater Area, are all within the Umatilla Basin. The Cow Valley Critical Groundwater Area is in the Malheur Basin. The Dalles Critical Groundwater Area is in the Hood Basin. The Cooper-Bull Mountain Critical Groundwater Area is in the Willamette Basin.There are two areas in Oregon for which the commission has issued orders withdrawing specific aquifers from further appropriation. One is near Mosier in the Hood Basin. The other is near Silverton in the Willamette Basin.In most of the above restricted areas, the limitations apply only to the specific aquifer that has had water-level declines or other problems documented. In some cases, groundwater may still be available at a different depth from a different aquifer. As more wells are drilled, the Department may find other areas where use of groundwater must be limited.
Description: Groundwater Management Areas are designated by DEQ when groundwater in an area has elevated contaminant concentrations resulting, at least in part, from nonpoint sources. Once the GWMA is declared, a local groundwater management committee comprised of affected and interested parties is formed. The committee then works with and advises the state agencies that are required to develop an action plan that will reduce groundwater contamination in the area.Oregon has designated three GWMAs because of elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater. These include the Lower Umatilla Basin GWMA, the Northern Malheur County GWMA, and the Southern Willamette Valley GWMA. Each one has developed a voluntary action plan to reduce nitrate concentrations in groundwater. More info at DEQ.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Description: In the Umatilla Basin, there are several cities that have a classification set forth in the Basin Program rules (OAR 690-507) that limits the issuance of new ground water permits from the basalt aquifer within a 5-mile radius around any municipal well of these cities. However, this classification applies only when the city has a Water Management and Conservation Plan that is “in effect”.
Description: The irrigation season of use theme breaks the state down by adjudicated, and non-adjudicated, areas and into smaller units depending on the decree. An adjudication in this sense refers to the legal process of evaluating pre-1909 water use claims in an area and establishing which ones are valid. Each area is attributed with the decree name, status (adjudicated, non-adjudicated, or pending), sub-area name (where they exist), season of use, rate (in cubic feet per second per acre), and duty (in acre-feet over the course of a season).
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Oregon Water Resources Department, 2017.
Description: In June 2000, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) adopted a rule prohibiting the "take" of 14 groups of salmon and steelhead listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS adopted the take rule under section 4(d) of the ESA. This rule prohibits anyone from taking a listed salmon or steelhead, except in cases where the take is associated with an approved program. The 4(d) rule approves some specific existing state and local programs, and creates a means for NMFS to approve additional programs if they meet certain standards set out in the rule.
State and local governments, tribes and others throughout the Northwest have stepped forward and assumed leadership roles in saving these species. Efforts include the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, the State of Washington's Extinction is Not an Option Plan, Metro's Functional Plan, the Puget Sound Tri-County Initiative, the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board, the Eugene, Oregon-area Metro ESA Coordinating Team, and the Willamette Restoration Initiative. NMFS believes it is these local efforts that will ultimately save the salmon. A central goal of this 4(d) rule is to encourage such state and local efforts by providing the means for NMFS to approve local efforts and limit liability under the ESA.
Description: OWRD Division 33, Additional Public Interest Standards for New Appropriations establishes definitions, additional procedures and standards to aid the Department in determining whether a proposed use will impair or be detrimental to the public interest with regard to sensitive, threatened, or endangered fish species.
These rules apply to the following types of applications for permits:
To appropriate surface water To appropriate hydraulically connected groundwater with potential for substantial interference To appropriate water for the purpose of groundwater recharge To store water or construct a reservoir This dataset shows the general location of the habitat of sensitive, threatened, and endangered fish species in Oregon as identified by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) for use by the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD).
Description: This feature contains a spatial representation of streams and stream segments with water quality information from Oregon’s 2012 Integrated Report Assessment Database and 303(d) List. This feature should be used in conjunction with the feature OR_Lakes_WaterQuality_2012. A water body may have assessment information for multiple pollutants or conditions, and may have multiple data records associated with the spatial representation of the water body or segment of the water body. Oregon’s 2012 Integrated Report Assessment Database and 303(d) List are available on-line at http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/assessment/rpt2012/search.asp. The on-line searchable database should be used in conjunction with these features, and is the reference source to verify all attribute information about water quality and to obtain assessment information about water bodies that do not have georeferenced locations. Users may contact DEQ for information about Oregon’s water quality assessment process, additional updates to the 2012 IR, and the schedule for future water quality integrated reports. http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/assessment/assessment.htm.Note: Duplicate RecordIDs exist in the dataset due to an EPA listing error. This includes Record #s 6550, 8025, 20340, 20847, and 21121 in the data. A ReadMe file accompanies the geodatabase and users are encouraged to see the document for additional details.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Description: Oregon Fish Habitat Distribution.These data describe areas of suitable habitat believed to be used currently or historically by wild, natural, and/or hatchery fish populations. The term "currently" is defined as within the past five reproductive cycles. Historical habitat includes suitable habitat that fish no longer access and will not access in the foreseeable future without human intervention. This information is based on sampling, the best professional opinion of Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife or other natural resources agency staff biologists or modeling (see the fhdBasis field). Due to natural variations in run size, water conditions, or other environmental factors, some habitats identified may not be used annually. These data now comply with the Oregon Fish Habitat Distribution Data Standard that was adopted by the Oregon Geographic Information Council in February 2011. The Standard document can be found at: http://www.oregon.gov/geo/standards/Oregon%20Fish%20Habitat%20Distribution%20Data%20Standard,%20v3.0.pdf. Historical habitat distribution data are now within the scope of the standard and are identified via the habitat use (fhdUseType) attribute. Historical habitats are only identified outside of currently accessible habitat and are not comprehensive.Key features of the Oregon Fish Habitat Distribution Data include: species, run, life history, habitat use, origin, production, the basis for each record, originator name, originator entity and reference. Habitat distribution data are now mapped at a 1:24,000 scale statewide and are based on the Pacific Northwest Framework Hydrography dataset. The data are made available as GIS files in both shapefile and ESRI geodatabase format. The data were developed over an extensive time period ranging from 1996 to 2014. Additionally, the data were recently migrated to USGS managed, Hydrography Event Management (HEM) tool compliant, event feature class format based on the National Hydrography Dataset.At OWRD, the fish habitat data for the available species were combined, dissolved on a subset of the attributes, and buffered by 10-feet for use in the agency's intranet water right mapping application.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Description: The Deschutes Ground Water Mitigation Program was developed to provide for new ground water uses while maintaining scenic waterway and instream water right flows in the Deschutes Basin. Much of the mainstem Deschutes River and its tributaries are protected by scenic waterway designations and instream water rights. There are also existing surface water rights on the Deschutes River and its tributaries for out of stream uses, such as irrigation and municipal. In the Deschutes Basin above Pelton Dam, there is a direct hydraulic connection between ground water and surface water flows. Because of this connection, ground water withdrawals affect surface water flows. Since scenic waterway flows and instream water rights are not always satisfied, the Department may not approve new ground water permits unless the impacts are mitigated. The mitigation program provides a set of tools that applicants for new ground water permits can use to establish mitigation and, thereby, obtain new permits from the Department.
Description: The Deschutes Ground Water Mitigation Program was developed to provide for new ground water uses while maintaining scenic waterway and instream water right flows in the Deschutes Basin. Much of the mainstem Deschutes River and its tributaries are protected by scenic waterway designations and instream water rights. There are also existing surface water rights on the Deschutes River and its tributaries for out of stream uses, such as irrigation and municipal. In the Deschutes Basin above Pelton Dam, there is a direct hydraulic connection between ground water and surface water flows. Because of this connection, ground water withdrawals affect surface water flows. Since scenic waterway flows and instream water rights are not always satisfied, the Department may not approve new ground water permits unless the impacts are mitigated. The mitigation program provides a set of tools that applicants for new ground water permits can use to establish mitigation and, thereby, obtain new permits from the Department. For more information on this program, please visit Deschutes Basin Mitigation Program Every five years the Water Resources Commission (WRC) is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the mitigation program. The purpose of this evaluation is to ensure that scenic waterway and instream water right flows continue to be met on at least an equivalent or more frequent basis compared to flows within a representative base period.
Description: The OWRD defines seven 'zones of imact' to describe watersheds that include and are above areas (i.e. stream reaches) of significant groundwater discharge to surface water. To define boundaries for the local zones of imact, the OWRD considered sub-basin boundaries, locations where in-stream water rights or scenic waterway flows information, and other hydrogeologic information, including identification of stream reaches influence by groundwater discharge. By defining the boundaries for each of the local zones of impact, mitigation may be targeted to areas where mitigation projects may provide the greatest instream benefits.
Description: Oregon’s 1970 Scenic Waterways Act set into motion a state protection program for reaches of certain rivers in Oregon. The program promotes cooperative protection and wise use of these rivers by federal, state and local agencies, individual property owners, and recreation users, and strives to: protect the free flowing character of designated rivers; protect and enhance scenic, aesthetic and natural values, recreation, scientific research, and fish and wildlife qualities; protect private property rights; promote expansion of the scenic waterways system; and encourage other state agencies to act consistently with the goals of scenic waterway management.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Description: Oregon’s 1970 Scenic Waterways Act set into motion a state protection program for reaches of certain rivers in Oregon. The program promotes cooperative protection and wise use of these rivers by federal, state and local agencies, individual property owners, and recreation users, and strives to: protect the free flowing character of designated rivers; protect and enhance scenic, aesthetic and natural values, recreation, scientific research, and fish and wildlife qualities; protect private property rights; promote expansion of the scenic waterways system; and encourage other state agencies to act consistently with the goals of scenic waterway management.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department