Welcome to Living on the Land, an award-winning source of useful information brought to you by your Oregon State University Extension Service.

Did you know that in Oregon the public owns most of the water in the state? That means that anyone who has water flowing on, under, or past their property may need a public permit to use it. That type of permit is called a water right. A water right gives a person permission to use a specific amount of water for a specific amount of time. But the water can't be used for just anything. In Oregon, if someone has a water right, they can't waste the water or use it in a way that isn't good for the public.

That's the law. Some of the ways water rights can be used are for things like irrigating land, watering livestock, improving fish habitat, and providing water to communities. Your water right will spell out two important things, how much continuously flowing water you can use, and the total amount of water you can use. A water right is usually connected to a piece of land. So, when the land is sold, the water right goes to the new owner of the property.

It's possible you may not need a water right if you have a well on your property. You can only use the water in the ways that are spelled out in your water right? Be sure to use it in those ways at least once every five years, or you might lose your water, right? It's a good idea to keep track of how you are using your water right by taking photos and dating them.

That way, if anyone challenges your water right, you can prove that you are using it correctly. Each water right has a priority date. Your priority date is the date your water right was issued. When stream flows are low, people with older water rights can request and use water longer than people with more recent water rights. For more information about using water legally, contact your local OSU Extension Service Agent, Oregon Water Resources Department, or local Water Master or Irrigation District.