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 Unappropriated groundwater may be withdrawn from further appropriation by an order of the Water Resources Commission.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: 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 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: Watermaster Districts divide the state into 21 units to be managed by watermasters. Watermasters monitor streamflows and water levels and may cut off junior users to keep water flowing to senior users. They also implement other field work or enforcement within their district. List of watermaster contacts.These boundaries generally follow hydrologic units, but not necessarily at the same hydrologic unit level (a mix of level 3, 4, and 5). These boundaries are static.
Description: This geospatial dataset represents the 6th level (12-digit) hydrologic unit boundaries from the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) layer for Oregon. Hydrologic units within the WBD_OR_HUC_12 represent drainage areas delineated to the 6th level drainage systems. Their boundaries are defined by hydrographic and topographic criteria that delineate an area of land upstream from a specific point on a river, stream, or similar surface waters. Hydrologic units within the WBD_OR_HUC_12 can accept surface water directly from upstream drainage areas, and indirectly from associated surface areas such as remnant, non-contributing, and diversions to form a drainage area with single or multiple outlet points. Boundaries within the WBD_OR_HUC_12 were delineated by Pacific Northwest (PNW) Hydrography Framework Partners to meet state requirements and to contribute to the national WBD repository. To meet these goals, the WBD must adhere to the "Federal Standards for Delineation of Hydrologic Unit Boundaries", dated October, 2004. These HUC_12 boundaries were made from the Oregon dataset that has been given national certification by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Prior to submission the dataset was subjected to an iterative review and edit process to ensure that the hydrologic boundaries fully satisfy the federal standards. This work was completed under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Pacific Northwest Hydrography Framework Partnership and the US Geological Survey (USGS). The current dataset includes all 6th level boundaries that are in all 4th level (8-digit) subbasins that fall within or intersect the Oregon state boundary.
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Pacific Northwest Hydrography Framework, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).