Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rights Reporting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State water agency notifies basin landowners to resume static water level reporting; noncompliance could bring penalties
Summary
The Oregon Water Resources Department told Jefferson County officials it has begun sending notices to water‑right holders statewide who have not reported required static water level measurements; the next step for noncompliance could be a notice of assessment and potential civil penalties, though the tri‑county region has relatively few non‑reporting rights.
Carolyn Suffitt and Angela Reinhold from the Oregon Water Resources Department briefed the commission on a renewed statewide effort to collect static water level measurements embedded as conditions in many water rights since the 1990s. Suffitt said the first notices had just gone out to water‑right holders who have not been reporting, and the agency hopes reminders will restore compliance.
Suffitt warned commissioners that failure to comply with the reporting notice could lead to a "notice of assessment" and potential civil penalties under state rulemaking. She emphasized the tri‑county region (Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson) has one of the lowest numbers of non‑reporting holders statewide and offered to provide cost estimates and distribution details for the affected permits. "If people do not comply ... the next step would be a notice of assessment that would, possibly accrue civil penalties," the presenter said.
