ORS 541.656 Water Supply Development Account

The Water Supply Development Account is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the Water Supply Development Account shall be credited to the account. Moneys in the account are continuously appropriated to the Water Resources Department for use in carrying out ORS 541.651 to 541.696.

The department may expend moneys from the account for:

Subject to subsection (4) of this section, making loans and grants to evaluate, plan and develop in-stream and out-of-stream water development projects approved by the Water Resources Commission, including but not limited to projects that:

Repair or replace infrastructure to increase the efficiency of water use;

Provide new or expanded water storage;

Improve or alter operations of existing water storage facilities in connection with newly developed water;

Create new, expanded, improved or altered water distribution, conveyance or delivery systems in connection with newly developed water;

Allocate federally stored water;

Promote water reuse;

Promote water conservation;

Provide streamflow protection or restoration;

Provide for water management or measurement in connection with newly developed water; and

Determine seasonally varying flows in connection with newly developed water.

Paying the necessary administrative and technical costs of the department in carrying out ORS 541.651 to 541.696.

In connection with a water development project funded under paragraph (a) of this subsection, providing equipment for long-term monitoring of project outcomes, including but not limited to monitoring compliance with established seasonally varying flows in connection with newly developed water.

In addition to any other permissible uses of moneys in the account, the department may expend moneys from the account to support:

Ongoing studies conducted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to allocate stored water; and

Comprehensive basin studies conducted by the United States Bureau of Reclamation.

Expenditures described in this subsection are not subject to any grant or loan procedures, public benefit scoring or ranking or other requirements or restrictions for grants or loans established under ORS 541.651 to 541.696.

The department may expend account moneys under subsection (2) of this section for loans and grants to develop in-stream and out-of-stream water development projects only if the department determines under ORS 540.530 that any transfer of water rights for the project will not injure existing water rights.