Campbell Ranch Inc. v. Water Resources Department

This is an appeal from an administrative order that declared about a 270-square-mile portion of northeastern Oregon to be a "critical ground water area” and imposed various restrictions, such as a moratorium on constructing new irrigation wells and limiting removal of water from existing irrigation wells. The dispositive issue is whether the proceedings were initiated with proper notice to persons affected by the restrictions imposed.

The Ground Water Act of 1955 provides that the Water Resources Department may, following a mandatory public hearing, ORS 537.730(2),1 declare that a critical…