Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 690 - WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT › Division 410 - STATEWIDE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT › Section 690-410-0080 - Water Storage

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1) Policy.
			 Water storage options are an integral part of Oregon's strategy to enhance the
			 public and private benefits derived from the instream and out-of-stream uses of
			 the state's water resources. Storage can provide increased water management
			 flexibility and control. Storage can be enhanced through means ranging from
			 natural processes to engineered structures. The state shall facilitate and
			 support project planning and development. The state shall actively pursue
			 funding when storage is determined to be a preferred alternative to meet the
			 water needs of instream and out-of-stream beneficial uses.
(2) Principles. Programs to achieve the
			 policy in section (1) of this rule shall be guided by the following principles:
(a) Water resource planning in the state
			 shall consider storage along with other available alternatives to meet water
			 management goals;
(b) When
			 determining whether storage is a preferred alternative, due regard shall be
			 given to public interest, needs and priorities, and legal, social, economic and
			 environmental factors;
(c) The
			 state shall encourage high priority storage projects and facilities through the
			 reservation of unappropriated water for future economic development;
(d) Storage shall be planned and implemented
			 in a manner to protect and enhance the public health, safety and welfare, and
			 the state's natural resources;
(e)
			 The state shall encourage enhancement of watershed storage capacity through
			 natural processes using non-structural means;
(f) The state shall promote the maximization
			 of benefits derived from storage facilities by evaluating existing and
			 potential storage capacities, authorized uses and operational
			 practices;
(g) Criteria for
			 evaluating impacts of storage projects shall include the following factors:
(A) Purpose (e.g., type, location and extent
			 of use, benefits);
(B) Legal (e.g.,
			 state, federal and local legal requirements);
(C) Social (e.g., recreational, public
			 support, cultural, historic);
(D)
			 Technical (e.g., siting issues, public safety and structural
			 integrity);
(E) Financial (e.g.,
			 project financing including site costs, cost sharing and repayment, and
			 operating, maintenance and rehabilitation costs);
(F) Economic (e.g., project benefit/cost
			 analysis);
(G) Land use (e.g.,
			 ownership, comprehensive plans, coordination);
(H) Environmental (e.g., impacts on
			 streamflows, fisheries, wildlife, wetlands, habitat, biological diversity,
			 water quality and opportunities for mitigation);
(I) Other (e.g., direct and indirect
			 impacts).
(h) The state
			 shall encourage and give high priority to storage that optimizes instream and
			 out-of-stream public benefits and beneficial uses. Multi-purpose storage is to
			 be preferred over single-purpose storage and upstream storage is to be
			 preferred over downstream storage;
(i) The state shall cooperate with federal
			 agencies, local governments and private entities in identifying and protecting
			 high priority storage sites for development of projects. The state shall
			 promote appropriate land use protection for high priority storage
			 sites;
(j) The state shall support
			 and participate in programs to finance planning and development of high
			 priority storage;
(k) The Water
			 Resources Department shall coordinate interagency recommendations to sponsors,
			 developers or operators of high priority storage projects.