2023 Oregon Revised Statutes › Volume : 15 - Water Resources, Agriculture and Food › Chapter 540 - Distribution and Storage of Water; Watermasters; Water Right Changes, Transfers and Forfeitures › Section 540.523 - Temporary transfer of water right or permit; terms; revocation; status of supplemental water right or permit.

(1) In accordance with the provisions of this section, any person who holds a water use subject to transfer may request that the Water Resources Department approve the temporary transfer of place of use and, if necessary to convey water to the new temporary place of use, temporarily change the point of diversion or point of appropriation for a period not to exceed five years. An application for a temporary transfer shall:
(a) Be submitted in writing to the Water Resources Department;
(b) Be accompanied by the appropriate fee for a change in the place of use as set forth in ORS 536.050;
(c) Include the information required under ORS 540.520 (2); and
(d) Include any other information the Water Resources Commission by rule may require.
(2) Notwithstanding the notice and waiting requirements under ORS 540.520, the department shall approve by order a request for a temporary transfer under this section if the department determines that the temporary transfer will not injure any existing water right.
(3) All uses of water for which a temporary transfer is allowed under this section shall revert automatically to the terms and conditions of the water use subject to transfer upon expiration of the temporary transfer period.
(4) The time during which water is used under an approved temporary transfer order does not apply toward a finding of forfeiture under ORS 540.610.
(5) The department may revoke a prior approval of the temporary transfer at any time if the department finds that the transfer is causing injury to any existing water right.
(6) Any map that may be required under subsection (1) of this section need not be prepared by a certified water right examiner.
(7) The lands from which the water right is removed during the period of a temporary transfer shall receive no water under the transferred water right.
(8) When an application for a temporary change of the place of use for a primary water right is submitted in accordance with this section, the applicant also shall indicate whether the land described in the application has an appurtenant supplemental water right or permit. If the applicant also intends to temporarily transfer the supplemental water right or permit, the applicant also shall include the information required under ORS 540.520 (2) for the supplemental water right or permit. If the applicant does not include the supplemental water right or permit in the temporary transfer application, the Water Resources Department shall notify the applicant that the supplemental water right or permit will be canceled before the department issues the order approving the temporary transfer of the primary water right, unless within 30 days the applicant modifies the application to include the supplemental water right or permit or withdraws the application. The department may approve the temporary transfer of the supplemental water right or permit in accordance with the provisions of this section. The department may not approve the temporary transfer of a supplemental water right or permit if the temporary transfer would result in enlargement of the original water right or injury to an existing water right. If the department approves the temporary transfer of the primary water right but does not approve the temporary transfer of the supplemental water right or permit, the department shall notify the applicant of the department’s intent not to allow the temporary transfer of the supplemental water right or permit before the department issues the order for the temporary transfer of the primary water right. If the department does not allow the temporary transfer of the supplemental right, the supplemental right shall remain appurtenant to the land described in the application, but may not be exercised until the primary right reverts to the original water use. If the primary water right does not revert soon enough to allow use of water under the supplemental right within five years, the supplemental right shall become subject to cancellation for nonuse under ORS 540.610.
(9) In issuing an order under subsection (2) of this section, the department shall include any condition necessary to protect other water rights. [1995 c.274 §6; 1997 c.42 §4; 1997 c.587 §12; 2001 c.788 §§3,9]