Doherty v. Oregon Water Resources Director

Petitioners challenge the Water Resources Director’s1 amended order designating 274 square miles near Hermiston as a “critical ground water area,” pursuant to ORS 537.735.2 The Director also divided the critical area into six *25subareas for management purposes and ordered that the withdrawal of water in the subareas be in accordance with the relative priorities of appropriations within the subareas. We review this matter as provided in ORS 183.482. ORS 536.075(2) and (3). Petitioners raise several issues with respect to the establishment of the critical ground water area and also challenge the…