2025–26 Water Rights Rulemaking

Update: Phase 1 of the 2025–2026 Water Rights rulemaking is complete. The new rules were adopted by the Water Resources Commission on March 19, 2026, and went into effect April 1, 2026.

For updated information about other water right process improvement work, please visit our webpage.

Phase 2 – OAR Chapter 690, Division 52, 53, 54, 320, and 330 (Coming Soon)

The purpose of the Phase 2 Water Rights Transaction related rulemaking is to (1) provide standardization related to issuance of orders and notices pertaining to select hydroelectric power generation processes and (2) reorganize, repeal, clarify, and align with statute and rule, rules pertaining to proof of appropriation/ claims of beneficial use and miscellaneous provisions.

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Phase 1 - Current Rules

Phase 1 - Proposed Rules Following Public Comment

Proposed Rules by Division

Division 2 – Protests and Contested Cases

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 14 – Certified Water Rights Examiners

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 17 – Cancellation of Perfected Water Rights

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 18 – Allocation of Conserved Water

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 77 – Instream Water Rights

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 300 - Definitions

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 305 (new) - General Map Criteria

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 310 – Water Right Application Processing

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 315 – Water Right Permit Extensions

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 325 – Assignment of a Water Permit and Request for Issuance of Replacement Permits

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 340 – Water Use Authorization

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 380 – Water Right Transfers

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Division 382 – Groundwater Registration Modifications

Track changes (022726)

Clean version (022726)

Rule Revision Tracker (022726)

Phase 1 - Comments Received

Written Comments Received

Individual Comments

Group Comments

Tribal Comments

Date:  January 27, 2026

Location:  Salem/Zoom

Informational Session PowerPoint

Informational Session Recording

Public Comment Session Recording

Date:  January 29, 2026
Location:  Bend/Zoom

Informational Session PowerPoint

Informational Session Recording 
Public Comment Session Recording

Phase 1 - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Filing Caption: Updates to Water Rights Transactions, Contested Cases, and Forfeiture Rules

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - with Errata sheet

Corrected: Notice of Change to Land Use Program

Summary of Proposed Changes

Division 2 – Protests and Contested Cases

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 14 – Certified Water Rights Examiners

Track changes (122225) - with Errata sheet

Clean version (122225)

Division 17 – Cancellation of Perfected Water Rights

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 18 – Allocation of Conserved Water

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 77 – Instream Water Rights

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 300 - Definitions

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 305 (new) - General Map Criteria

Draft rules (122225)

Division 310 – Water Right Application Processing

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 315 – Water Right Permit Extensions

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 325 – Assignment of a Water Permit and Request for Issuance of Replacement Permits

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 340 – Water Use Authorization

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 380 – Water Right Transfers

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Division 382 – Groundwater Registration Modifications

Track changes (122225)

Clean version (122225)

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting Materials

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #1 – September 17, 2025

RAC Roster
RAC Operating Principles
Tentative RAC Meeting Schedule by Division (091725)
Agenda

Draft Rules
Division 14 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)
Division 52 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)
Division 53 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)
Division 54 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)
Division 320 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)
Division 325 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)
Division 340 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)

Meeting Presentation
Meeting Recording

Meeting Summary

Comments Received Through Oct 1, 2025

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #2 – September 24, 2025

Agenda

Tentative RAC Meeting Schedule for Division Coverage (091925)

Draft Rules

Division 2 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)

Division 300 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)

Division 305 (new) (with updated rule summary cover sheet)

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary
Comments Received Oct 2 – Oct 10

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #3 – October 14, 2025

Agenda

Tentative RAC Meeting Schedule for Division Coverage (100125)

Draft Rules

Division 18

Division 310 (with updated rule summary cover sheet)

Division 315

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary
Comments Received Oct 11–Nov 5

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #4 – October 15, 2025

Agenda

Draft Rules

Division 17

Division 380 (with corrected cover sheets)

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary

Comments Received Oct 11–Nov 5

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #5 – October 21, 2025

Agenda

Draft Rules

Division 380 (with corrected cover sheets)

Division 382 (time allowing)

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary

Comments Received Oct 11–Nov 5

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #6 – October 29, 2025 (morning meeting)

Meeting Time and Location:
8:30 a.m. – noon
Oregon Water Resources Department
3^rd Floor Rogue Conference Room
725 Summer St. NE, Salem, OR 97301
*Please check in on the first floor, Suite A

Agenda

Draft Rules

Division 382

Division 77

Division 330 (corrected)

Division 14 (Revised 102725)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 14 (102725)

Division 300 (Revised 102725)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 300 (102725)

Division 320 (Revised 102725) (corrected)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 320 (102725)

Meeting Presentation
Meeting Recording
DRAFT Meeting Summary
Comments Received Nov 6 – 11

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #7 – October 29, 2025 (afternoon meeting)

Agenda

Draft Rules

Division 382

Division 77

Division 330 (corrected)

Division 14 (Revised 102725)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 14 (102725)

Division 300 (Revised 102725)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 300 (102725)

Division 320 (Revised 102725) (corrected)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 320 (102725)

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary

Comments Received Nov 6 – 11

Rules Advisory Committee VIRTUAL Meeting: Follow up on OAR 690-002 – October 31, 2025 (10 a.m. – noon)

Division 2 (101525)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 2 (101625)

Meeting Recording
DRAFT Meeting Summary

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #8 – November 12, 2025 (8:30 a.m. – noon)

Agenda

Draft Rules

Division 305 (Revised 110625)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 305 (110625)

Division 315 (111025)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 315 (111025)

Division 325 (Revised 110525)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 325 (110525)

Division 340 (Revised 110535)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 340 (110525)

WRD Testimony re Estimated Average Natural Flow (EANF, or natural streamflow)

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary

Comments Received Nov 12 – Dec 5

Rules Advisory Committee Meeting #9 – November 21, 2025 (8:30 a.m. – noon)

Agenda
Draft Rules

Available documents are linked below:

Division 2 (Revised 111925)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 2 (111925)

Division 17 (Revised 111825)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 17 (111825)

Division 18 (111925)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 18 (111925)

Division 52 (Revised 111825)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 52 (111825)

Division 53 (Revised 111925)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 53 (111825)

Division 54 (Revised 111825)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 54 (111825)

Division 77 (112025)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 77 (112025)

Division 310 (111925)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 310 (111925)

Division 380 (Revised 112025)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 380 (112025)

Division 382 (112025)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 382 (112025)

Draft Statements

Need

Economic and Fiscal Impacts

Meeting Presentation

Meeting Recording

DRAFT Meeting Summary

Table – Roadmap for Rule Revisions by Division Documents
Div 310 - Land Use Draft Rule Language Supplement
Comments Received Nov 12 – Dec 5

Rules Advisory Committee – Post Meeting Follow Up

Updated Table – Roadmap for Rule Revisions by Division Documents (Phase 1)

Division 2 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 2 (122225)

Division 14 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 14 (122225)

Division 17 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 17 (122225)

Division 18 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 18 (122225)

Division 77 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 77 (122225)

Division 300 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 300 (122225)

Division 305 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 305 (122225)

Division 310 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 310 (122225)

Division 315 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 315 (122225)

Division 325 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 325 (122225)

Division 340 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 340 (122225)

Division 380 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 380 (122225)

Division 382 (Revised 122225)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 382 (122225)

Letter from Representatives Levy and Breeze-Iverson (12/19/25)

Response from OWRD Director Ivan Gall (12/31/25)

Updated Table – Roadmap for Rule Revisions by Division Documents (Phase 2)

Division 52 (Revised 030226)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 52 (030226)

Division 53 (Revised 030226)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 53 (030226)

Division 54 (Revised 030226)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 54 (030226)

Division 320 (Revised 030226)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 320 (Revised 030226)

Division 330 (Revised 030226)

Rule Revision Tracker – Div 330 (Revised 030226)