Oregon Chapter 545

Chapter 545 — Irrigation Districts

Download Full 2005 Oregon Revised Statutes (coming soon!)
Download Full 2007 Oregon Revised Statutes (coming soon!)

View 2005 version of these codes

Chapter 545 — Irrigation Districts

 

2007 EDITION

 

IRRIGATION DISTRICTS

 

WATER LAWS

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

545.001     Short title

 

545.002     Definitions

 

545.007     Voting rights

 

FORMATION OF DISTRICTS

 

545.025     Purposes of irrigation district; process for formation

 

545.029     Hearing of petition by county court; authority as to boundaries of district; lands included; order; formation of district without election

 

545.033     Naming and division of districts

 

545.037     Notice of election for determining organization of district; contents; publication; mailing

 

545.041     Conduct of election; contents of nominating petition; verification of electors by county assessor; order declaring result; inclusion of portion of district in another district; commencement of duties by directors

 

545.043     Qualifications of directors; terms of office; oath

 

CHANGE OF DISTRICT BOUNDARIES

 

(Generally)

 

545.051     Change of boundaries authorized; effect on existing rights and liabilities

 

(Addition of Land)

 

545.057     Petition for inclusion of lands within district

 

545.059     Notice of petition; publication; deposit for costs

 

545.061     Hearing on petition

 

545.067     Liability of petitioners for obligations of district

 

545.071     Acceptance or rejection of petition; inclusion of land when owner objects

 

545.075     Requirements that may be imposed upon petitioners in western Oregon district; charges or assessments

 

545.079     Recording of order including lands in district; effect of order; appeal

 

545.085     Record of petition; admissibility in evidence

 

545.089     Redivision of district; election of directors

 

545.091     Inclusion of lands not subject to charges of district

 

(Subdistricts)

 

545.093     Creation of subdistricts; purpose; change in subdistrict boundaries

 

545.094     Engineering plan for improvements within subdistricts; notice; hearing; remonstrance

 

545.095     Charges or assessments for improvements within subdistrict

 

(Exclusion of Land)

 

545.097     Exclusion of tracts; effect on status of district, rights and liabilities

 

545.099     Petition for exclusion of lands from district; approval by board; payment of costs of exclusion

 

545.101     Exclusion of subdivisions with three or more tracts on each acre of land; exceptions

 

545.105     Assent of bondholders; acknowledgment; filing; recording

 

545.109     Recording minutes of board

 

545.113     State agency to pay assessment and charges or to petition for exclusion

 

545.123     Redivision of district; election of director

 

545.126     Liability of excluded lands for district’s obligations

 

(Union or Merger of Districts)

 

545.131     Union or merger of districts; petition; approval of board; election; indebtedness

 

DISTRICT ELECTIONS AFTER FORMATION

 

(Generally)

 

545.135     Elections subsequent to organization of district; election of directors

 

545.137     Notices of election; board of election; place of holding election; nomination of candidates; advertising openings on district board; certificate of election to sole candidate; ballots

 

545.139     Board of election; polls; ballots

 

545.141     Conduct of election; challenge and verification of qualifications of elector; counting ballots

 

545.145     Certificate of vote; stringing of ballots; sealing of returns; delivery to board secretary; recount

 

545.149     Canvass of returns; standard for rejecting certain election documents; canvass to be in public

 

545.153     Statement of result; contents; certificate of election; effect of informalities in conduct of election

 

(Elections by Mail)

 

545.163     Procedures for conducting election by mail

 

(Electoral Districts)

 

545.167     Division of district for election of directors; procedure

 

545.169     Election of directors from newly created divisions

 

545.171     Election precincts in divisions; alteration

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

(Organization)

 

545.181     Organization of board; officers; establishment of meeting dates; collection, custody and disbursement of moneys

 

545.183     Compensation and expenses of officers and employees; membership fees in associations

 

545.185     Meetings of board; quorum; public inspection of records

 

545.187     Vacancy in office when director ceases to be resident or landowner; appointment of successor

 

545.189     Recall of director; procedure; required number of signatures for recall petition

 

(Change in Number of Directors)

 

545.199     Increase in number of directors upon determination of board or petition; election on increase

 

545.203     Election of additional directors; terms of office

 

545.207     Redivision of district upon increase in directors; representation of divisions; voting qualifications

 

545.211     Decrease in number of directors; redivision of district; terms of office

 

(General Powers and Duties)

 

545.221     Powers and duties of board as to management of district; water deliveries

 

545.225     Contracts; conveyances; suits; judicial knowledge concerning district; audit reports

 

POWERS OF DISTRICTS

 

(Acquisition of and Entry onto Land)

 

545.237     Right to enter upon lands for inspection and maintenance of water works

 

545.239     Right to enter upon and acquire lands and water rights; right of condemnation

 

545.241     Bond or other security as condition of immediate possession in condemnation by irrigation or drainage district

 

545.245     Right to immediate possession in condemnation proceeding

 

545.249     Right to condemn for irrigation purposes is a superior right

 

545.253     Title to and rights in property acquired

 

545.257     Authority of irrigation district to acquire domestic or municipal water works; assumption of obligations; sale of surplus water; impairment of irrigation service forbidden

 

(Distribution of Water)

 

545.271     Furnishing water

 

545.275     Lien on crops for water supplied for irrigation; enforcement; attorney fees

 

545.279     District may require water control devices and measuring devices; notice to water user; objections; hearing

 

545.283     Joinder of districts in acquisition or construction of irrigation or other water use works

 

545.287     Directors may construct or maintain improvements, levy assessments or provide for charges

 

545.291     Apportionment of water to tracts; employment of person to distribute water; assessment or charge; lien on land

 

545.293     Resolution for water distribution works or services; hearing of objections; construction, repair or maintenance of improvement; apportionment of costs; assessment

 

545.295     Conditions required in certain districts before delivering water to additional lands; order; charges and assessments

 

(Finances)

 

545.301     Financing acquisition of water works; contracts with federal government; approval by electors

 

545.303     Water works system to be self-sustaining; payment of indebtedness; rates; separate accounts

 

545.305     Election concerning acquisition of water works

 

545.307     Investment of surplus funds in federal or state bonds

 

(Construction of Improvements)

 

545.315     Petition to construct improvements for irrigation; contents; assent of petitioners to assessment of cost of improvement

 

545.319     Elections on question of constructing improvement; resolution of directors

 

545.323     Majority of votes required to approve construction of improvement; cost; apportionment; assessment

 

(Miscellaneous)

 

545.335     Drainage works; construction authorized; powers of districts; designation of bonds

 

DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRICT LANDS BY UNITED STATES

 

545.343     Obligations or contracts with United States under Reclamation Act; acquisition of federal lands

 

545.345     Conveyance of lands to United States

 

545.347     Obligations or contracts with United States under Fact Finders’ Act

 

545.349     Authority to transfer land to federal government for development and colonization; repayment of expenditures; levy of assessments; funds; contracts with federal government

 

545.351     Acquisition of lands from owners; crediting of value on charge against remainder of land

 

545.355     Proceedings on extension or cancellation of payments due federal government

 

545.359     Contracts with federal government for flood control works

 

SALE OF DISTRICT PROPERTY

 

545.365     Disposition of real property acquired by district; sale to member of board or employee prohibited

 

545.367     Authorization of sale of property, excess water or hydroelectric power

 

545.369     Release of lien of bonds; form; acknowledgment by bondholders; copy of release as evidence

 

545.371     Consent of bondholders; notice requiring presentation of objections; implication of consent; hearing of objections by directors

 

545.373     Proceeds of sale; special fund; uses of moneys

 

545.375     Purchaser rights; power of directors respecting contracts and instruments relating to transfer

 

CHARGES AND ASSESSMENTS

 

(Generally)

 

545.381     Annual assessments; computation of amount to be raised; apportionment; determination of acreage and assessments; credit for water rights

 

545.385     Certain lands may be assessed at different amounts; additional service charge

 

545.387     Assessment on benefit basis; determination of benefits

 

545.389     Deduction for rights or property required by district; assessments pending construction

 

545.391     Assessments for contracts with United States

 

545.393     Resolution concerning assessments for payment to United States; publication; collection by county officers

 

545.395     Development of district by units; apportionment of assessments; inclusion of noncontiguous land; assessment of reclaimed or improved lands for district obligations

 

545.397     Districts developed by units; validation

 

545.399     Contract with United States; annual assessments or direct billings

 

545.401     Deposit of moneys in special fund; uses

 

(Assessment Procedure)

 

545.413     Record of assessments and apportionments; error in description; evidence

 

545.416     Equalization of assessment and apportionment of taxes; notice of time of meeting of board; public inspection of list

 

545.418     Meeting of board; duration; hearing and determination of objections to assessments and apportionment; changes

 

545.420     Certification of assessments to county assessors; entry on assessment roll; collection of taxes; deposit of sums collected; disbursements from fund; taxation of state and federal lands

 

545.422     Nonperformance by board; assessment, levy and equalization by county court

 

545.424     Validation of assessments; defective entry on assessment roll; lands partly outside district

 

545.426     Misnomer or mistake relating to ownership not to affect sale

 

545.428     Collection of assessments by board secretary; purpose; treatment of unpaid assessments

 

545.430     Objections by bondholders; payment from funds otherwise obtained

 

(Unpaid Assessments)

 

545.460     Withholding water while assessments are unpaid; accepting security for payment of assessments

 

545.462     Cancellation or compromise of assessment liens on lands acquired by county for taxes

 

545.464     Order to tax collector to cancel or change liens; correction of delinquent tax rolls

 

545.466     Effect of ORS 545.462 and 545.464 on existing laws

 

(Exemptions)

 

545.468     Exemption of parcel of land from payment of charge or assessment; qualification of owner of excluded parcel as district elector

 

(Charges for Water Supply and Retirement of Warrants)

 

545.471     Charges for water supply; rates; collections and disbursements; basis of charges

 

545.473     Districts providing for collection of charges by board secretary; levy of percentage of annual rates

 

545.475     Lands subject to assessment

 

545.477     Collection of charges; acceptance of district warrants; disposal of moneys collected

 

545.479     Provisions not exclusive nor operative to relieve district of duty respecting obligations

 

ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF COLLECTING INCURRED CHARGES

 

545.482     Authorization of method for billing and collecting incurred charges

 

545.484     Computation of amount to be raised; apportionment of charges; fixing due date and delinquency date; fee for other services

 

545.487     Pressurization charge; application to certain lands; apportionment

 

545.494     Unpaid charge as lien on land; priority respecting other liens and claims

 

545.496     Collection of incurred charges; withholding of water until payment; interest on unpaid charges

 

545.498     Surety bond to be given by board secretary prior to handling district funds

 

545.502     Foreclosure; procedure; redemption after sale; attorney fees

 

545.504     Redemption of land upon or prior to foreclosure sale

 

545.506     Payment of taxes by district; amount paid added to lien

 

545.507     Borrowing for payment of operation and maintenance costs

 

545.508     Moneys collected; deposit; separation of funds; disbursements

 

BONDS; CONTRACTS WITH STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

 

(Authorization for Bonds or Contracts)

 

545.511     Authorization of bonds, including refunding bonds; contract with state or with United States; election; notice

 

545.513     Resubmission of questions to electors; contracts not requiring vote

 

545.515     Bonds; interest included in authorized amount

 

545.517     Bonds securing payments to United States

 

545.519     Issuance of bonds; cancellation of bonds

 

545.521     Bonds of districts organized before 1925 with indebtedness of $50,000; retirement of outstanding bonds as condition of further indebtedness; authorization and sale of refunding bonds; application of proceeds; redemption

 

(Bonds and Contracts as General Obligations)

 

545.529     Bonds and payments payable from assessments; liability of lands

 

545.532     Increase of assessments to meet defaults; property liable for indebtedness; possession of works upon default

 

(Payment of Assessments for Bonds and Contract Obligations)

 

545.535     Lien against assessed lands; priority

 

545.537     Sale of lands for delinquency; purchase by district

 

545.539     Bond sinking funds; other funds

 

545.541     Retirement of bonds prior to maturity

 

545.545     Determination of liability of individual tracts for bonded indebtedness; acceptance of bonds and cash in payment

 

(Issuance of Bonds by Certain Districts)

 

545.551     Application of ORS 545.553 and 545.555

 

545.553     Petition for election on authorization and issuance of bonds

 

545.555     Holding election; notice

 

545.557     Bonds; maturities; reserves; interest; trustees

 

545.559     Bonds and coupons to be negotiable instruments

 

ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF ISSUING BONDS

 

545.565     Refunding bonds; procedure

 

545.567     Determination of liability for assessment to pay bonds; determination on basis of irrigable area or benefits accrued

 

545.569     Amounts paid to owners for property or rights

 

545.571     Notice of determination; publication; contents

 

545.573     Equalization of assessments; hearings

 

545.575     Order determining benefits; order of assessment; “benefit surplus” defined

 

545.577     Notice of proceedings; appeal to circuit court; notice and summons

 

545.579     Pleadings; trial; appeal; finality of assessment order

 

545.581     Assessment installments

 

545.585     Bonds; issuance; purposes; form; amortization; maturities; negotiability; numbering; interest; denomination; registration; amount maturing annually; retirement

 

545.589     Recording of assessments; bond lien docket; payment by bonds or coupons; interest on unpaid assessments; lien on land; priority

 

545.595     Payment of assessment; relief from further assessment

 

545.599     Five-year additional assessment; emergency assessments; emergency fund

 

545.603     Entry on assessment roll; lien on land; collection; disposal of moneys collected; liability of land sold for taxes; exception

 

545.607     Retirement of bonds before maturity

 

545.617     Sale of land for delinquent assessments; district as purchaser; payment of proceeds into emergency fund; purchase price paid by district

 

545.621     Exchange of refunding bonds for outstanding indebtedness; exchange of interest certificates for bonds

 

545.629     Declaration of intent to dispose of bonds; resolution; notice of sale; publication

 

545.631     Consent of creditors to refunding of indebtedness

 

545.633     Obtaining constructive consent of unknown or dissenting creditors; petition

 

545.635     Notice of court proceeding to obtain constructive consent; effect of failure to file objection

 

545.637     Hearing on petition; judgment; trustee

 

545.639     Nature of proceeding; appeal; nonprejudicial errors; costs

 

ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF LIQUIDATING INDEBTEDNESS

 

545.643     Contract providing plan of liquidation; resolution; investigation by and approval of Water Resources Commission

 

545.645     Terms of contract; parties; execution

 

545.647     Recording of contract; effective date; preeminence of contract with respect to rights and liabilities

 

545.649     New contract in lieu of previous contract

 

545.651     Constructive consent of holders of outstanding indebtedness; procedure for obtaining consent; petition

 

545.655     Notice of petition and terms of contract; failure to file dissent; effect

 

545.659     Hearing on petition; judgment; trustee

 

545.663     Nature of proceeding; appeal; nonprejudicial errors; costs

 

545.667     State Treasurer as depository

 

ADDITIONAL METHOD OF LIQUIDATING INDEBTEDNESS

 

545.671     Contract providing plan of liquidation; resolution of directors