Or. Admin. R. 690-506-0030 - Objectives
(1) Basin
Objectives: In furtherance of the policies in OAR
690-506-0020, the
following objectives are established for meeting water resource needs in the
John Day River Basin:
(a) Achieve better
seasonal distribution of runoff to reduce high streamflows and increase low
streamflows:
(A) Provide for structural and
non-structural storage:
(i) Protect identified
sites from incompatible land uses through county comprehensive plans;
(ii) Protect all riparian areas and improve
those that are damaged;
(iii)
Evaluate the benefits of non-structural alternatives for
storage.
(B) Increase the
infiltration of water in the basin:
(i) Slow
runoff by protecting and improving vegetative cover and riparian areas on
forest and range lands and by constructing small retention
structures;
(ii) Maintain soil
permeability in the watershed by avoiding unnecessary soil compaction,
maintaining organic material in the soil, and mitigating for roads and other
impervious surfaces.
(b) Protect ground water quality and
quantity:
(A) Maintain a balance between
ground water pumpage plus natural discharge and recharge;
(B) Maintain ground water quality;
(C) Prevent the use of ground water, which is
determined to be hydraulically connected to surface water, from significantly
lowering streamflows and interfering with the use of surface water.
(c) Encourage water conservation,
the efficient use of water, and the elimination of waste:
(A) Minimize surface runoff back to streams
from irrigated areas;
(B) Encourage
contingency plans by municipalities for use during periods of water
shortage;
(C) Increase public
awareness of the importance of water conservation.
(d) Protect existing high-quality riparian
areas and improve degraded riparian areas:
(A)
Promote development of livestock watering facilities outside of riparian
areas;
(B) Revegetate degraded
riparian areas;
(C) Implement
grazing practices which distribute livestock use over the available
range;
(D) Fence riparian areas
where appropriate.
(e)
Maintain instream flows to provide for needs of aquatic life and recreational
opportunities:
(A) Restrict additional
withdrawals from streams important for instream uses through conditional use
classifications;
(B) Achieve
established minimum perennial streamflows;
(C) Evaluate the need for additional minimum
perennial streamflows;
(D) Increase
monitoring of streamflow at existing minimum perennial flow sites;
(E) Increase monitoring and enforcement of
water use.
(f) Develop
additional water resources data to improve basin water planning and
management.
(2) Subbasin
Water Use Objectives: Except as otherwise noticed under subbasin special
objectives, the following uses are present in each of the subbasins. The
continued use of water in such manner is recognized as important to the public
and to the holders of water rights. Therefore, in furtherance of the policies
in OAR
690-506-0020, the
Commission adopts the following objectives, with the noted subbasin exceptions,
for meeting the quantitative and qualitative needs for beneficial uses of
water:
(a) Domestic Use: Provide for domestic
water needs;
(b) Municipal,
Commercial, and Industrial Uses -- Provide for water needs of existing and
future municipal, commercial, and industrial users;
(c) Irrigation and Agricultural Uses --
Increase water supplies to permit late season irrigation of the existing
croplands and meet future needs for irrigation and other agricultural
uses;
(d) Livestock Use -- Satisfy
current and future needs. Encourage development of additional watering sites
outside riparian areas;
(e) Mining
Use -- Ensure that mining water use does not interfere with other
uses;
(f) Power Use -- Permit
inclusion of power on storage projects and development of power for residential
applications where consistent with instream needs;
(g) Fish Life and Wildlife Use -- Restore
habitat to increase wild fish production. Increase resident fish and wildlife
populations. Promote conditions for anadromous fish migration and seasonal
rearing downstream;
(h) Pollution
Abatement -- Improve water quality by eliminating non-point discharge of
bacteria and other pollutants, improving riparian conditions, and increasing
summer streamflows;
(i) Recreation
Use -- Provide water for increased recreational opportunities. Support greater
recreational access and more facilities for fishing and swimming.
(3) Subbasin Special Concerns: The
following objectives for each of the subbasins address special concerns.
Achievement of the objectives will aid in furtherance of the policies in OAR
690-506-0020:
(a) Upper Mainstem Subbasin:
(A) Reduce erosion damage caused by high
streamflows on the John Day River and Beech and Canyon Creeks;
(B) Protect existing surface water uses form
interference by ground water use along the John Day River.
(b) South Fork Subbasin: Reduce erosion
damage caused by high streamflows on the lower South Fork John Day
River;
(c) Middle Mainstem
Subbasin:
(A) The objective for Recreational
Use in the Middle Mainstem Subbasin shall be to protect and enhance
recreational uses in the John Day Scenic Waterway and to increase recreational
access and facilities as needed;
(B) Reduce erosion and damage caused by high
streamflows on the John Day River and Bridge Creek.
(d) Middle Fork Subbasin: The objective for
Pollution Abatement in the Middle Fork Subbasin shall be to minimize sediment
produced from forestry activities and resolve localized water quality problems.
Water quality should be improved by eliminating non-point discharges, improving
riparian conditions, and improving summer streamflows;
(e) North Fork Subbasin:
(A) The objectives for Pollution Abatement in
the North Fork Subbasin shall be to minimize sediment produced from forestry
activities and resolve localized water quality problems. Water quality should
be improved by eliminating non-point discharges, improving riparian conditions,
and improving summer streamflows;
(B) The objectives for Recreational Use in
the North Fork Subbasin shall be to provide for instream recreational values
and increased flows for boating on the North Fork John Day River. Recreational
access and facilities should be increased as needed;
(C) Reduce erosion damage from high
streamflows throughout the subbasin;
(D) Reduce ice scouring on the North Fork
John Day River between Monument and Kimberly.
(f) Lower Subbasin:
(A) The objective for Recreational use in the
Lower Subbasin shall be to protect and enhance recreational uses in the John
Day Scenic Waterway and to increase recreational access and facilities as
needed;
(B) Reduce damage from high
streamflows on the John Day River and Thirtymile Creek;
(C) Slow runoff to increase infiltration of
water on cultivated farmland;
(D)
Protect the quantity and quality of ground water in Columbia River Basalt and
alluvial aquifers.
Notes
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