Each map submitted to the Department shall meet the following general criteria in addition to any specific criteria identified in the rules for the relevant water right transaction:

1. (1) Drawing

   1. (a) The map shall be drafted on paper or polyester film with ink or otherwise printed in an indelible form with sufficient clarity so as to be easily reproduced or scanned. Maps may be submitted electronically in portable document format (pdf) and must be prepared consistent with, and include the same information as, a paper map.
   2. (b) The preferred paper size is 8.5 inches by 11 inches and should be no larger than 30 inches by 30 inches. A map greater than 30 inches by 30 inches may be submitted if the Department grants, by mail or electronic means, advance approval of the larger size.
   3. (c) Beginning April 1, 2029, regardless of whether the map is submitted electronically, on paper, or on polyester film, for any map that OAR chapter 690 requires be prepared by a Certified Water Right Examiner, a digital file containing the coordinate system and geospatial features of the map as specified by the Department shall be submitted in addition to the map, unless the Department provides a waiver. The digital file shall be submitted as a shapefile or other approved format in a manner required by the Department.
   4. (d) A platted and recorded subdivision map, deed description survey map, or county assessor map may be submitted as the application map if all of the required information included in sections (2) and (3) of this rule is clearly shown.
   5. (e) An aerial image may be provided in addition to the map to aid the Department in understanding the proposal.
   6. (f) The map submitted under subsection (a) shall be the official record of the water right. An aerial image or digital file shall not be the official record of the water right.

2. (2) Scale

   1. (a) The map shall be drawn to a standard, even-numbered scale and one-inch shall not exceed 1320 feet.
   2. (b) The map scale may exceed 1320 feet per inch if the Department grants, by mail or electronic means, advance approval of the requested scale.
   3. (c) Notwithstanding subsection (a) and (b), for maps identifying the location of a municipal use place of use, one-inch can exceed 1320 feet; provided that the scale is sufficient to identify the quarter-quarters involved in the place of use.

3. (3) Features: Features shall be clearly identified and labeled. Unless otherwise indicated in rule, the following features must be included in each map submitted to the Department:

   1. (a) Mapping scale.
   2. (b) North directional symbol.
   3. (c) Legend.
   4. (d) General location of main canals, ditches, flumes, pipelines, pumps, or other water delivery features used to transport water from the point(s) of diversion or appropriation to the place use and to include the delivery features at the place of use.
   5. (e) Other topographical features such as rivers, creeks, streams, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, roads, or railroads that may be helpful to clarify and identify the location of points of diversion, wells, dams, and places of use.
   6. (f) Location and flow direction of the water way if the source is surface water. If multiple water ways exist in the area of the proposed diversion and use, the map must identify the location and flow direction of the additional water ways.

   7. (g) Township, range, section, quarter-quarter, and tax lot(s), donation land claims, or government lots where water will be or has been diverted, conveyed, and used. If the map is for municipal use the map:

      1. (A) Must identify but does not need to label the quarter-quarters,
      2. (B) Does not need to identify or label tax lots, donation land claims, or government lots.

   8. (h) Location of each proposed or developed diversion point, well (point of appropriation), or dam by reference to a recognized public land survey corner. For a reservoir without a dam, the center of the reservoir shall be referenced to a recognized public land survey corner.

      1. (A) The locations shall be shown by distance and bearing, or by coordinates (distance north or south and distance east or west from the corner). In addition, they shall also include latitude and longitude as established by a global positioning system.

      2. (B) Latitude and longitude coordinates shall be expressed as degrees-decimal with five or more digits after the decimal (e.g., 42.53764º). The datum used to establish the coordinates shall be indicated on the map. Examples of datums include NAD 83, NAD 27 and WGS84.

         1. (i) Location of the proposed or developed place of use by township, range, section, and nearest quarter-quarter section.
      3. (A) For irrigation or nursery use, the map shall additionally indicate the place of use in each quarter-quarter of a section by shading or hatchuring and indicate the number of acres in each quarter-quarter section, donation land claim, government lot, or other recognized public land survey lines.
      4. (B) For places of use that are limited to a point, such as a stock watering tank, the location may also be identified by distance and bearing, or by coordinates (distance north or south and distance east or west from the corner). In addition, they shall include latitude and longitude as established by a global positioning system.
      5. (C) Latitude and longitude coordinates shall be expressed as degrees-decimal with five or more digits after the decimal (e.g., 42.53764º). The datum used to establish the coordinates shall be indicated on the map. Examples of datums include NAD 83, NAD 27 and WGS84.
      6. (D) Where more than one point of diversion or well is included, the map must clearly identify the place(s) of use served by each point of diversion or well.
   9. (j) If for a supplemental irrigation application or claim of beneficial use, the location and water right reference number of the underlying primary right, registration or claim.
   10. (k) Any other information the Department requests and considers necessary to evaluate the water right transaction.

Statutory/Other Authority

ORS 536.027 & ORS 537.409

Statutes/Other Implemented

ORS 537.140, ORS 537.144, ORS 537.211(4), ORS 537.225, ORS 537.230, ORS 537.252, ORS 537.400, ORS 537.610, ORS 537.615, ORS 537.780, ORS 540.520, ORS 540.523, ORS 540.524, ORS 540.531, ORS 540.532, ORS 540.533, ORS 540.585, ORS 537 & ORS 540

History

WRD 3-2026, adopt filed 03/20/2026, effective 04/01/2026