two groundwater rules meetings open to the public Klamath falls owrd 011515

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Two groundwater rules meetings open to the public

Herald and News 1/15/15

(NOTE: Comment period for Basin groundwater rules extended (until March 2). An additional rulemaking hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 18, H&N 1/17/15)

* Today’s open house at Oregon Tech begins at 4 p.m., and the hearing starts at 6 p.m.

* Residents can learn about and comment on proposed groundwater rules at two meetings this week.
* Tomorrow’s meetings run from 8 to 11 a.m. (Friday January 16, 2015

The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) is hosting an open house and a public hearing tonight and Friday. The events will provide opportunities for residents to learn the details of a set of proposed groundwater rules that stakeholders have been developing since October.

The rules intend to establish procedures for the OWRD to regulate off-project groundwater uses in the Wood, Williamson and Sprague River basins. The regulations were made to adhere to adjudication water law and to protect senior surface water rights, according to a news release.

OWRD water adjudication prioritizes surface water deliveries based on the date of property claims. The older the claim date, the more senior the water right — junior water users could have irrigation water shut off if a senior water right makes a claim to that water.

Today’s open house at Oregon Tech begins at 4 p.m., and the hearing starts at 6 p.m. Tomorrow’s meetings run from 8 to 11 a.m.

The draft groundwater rules comment period opened Jan. 1 and will close at 5 p.m., Feb. 17.

ljarrell@heraldandnews.com ; @LMJatHandN

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