The eastern wet zone states use Riparian and the interior western dry zone states use Prior Appropriation.
Those states that straddle the wet dry lines use a dual doctrine of riparian and prior appropriation.
The 98th meridian is the eastern wet/dry line so those state that straddle use the dual doctrine and include TX, OK, KS, etc.
The western wet dry line is the Cascades/Sierra Nevada so CA, WA , and OR use the dual doctrine.
This article is mis-info. The state doesn't own the water although a state can own water rights. The state administers the water rights.
The guy in this article is taking someone else's prior appropriation water right and it is the state's job to prevent him. So, under the use it or lose it clause, if this guy successfully uses the water, that would prevent the actual owner(s) from using the water they would lose the water right.
This is bumbo jumbo horseshit....he dug a hole on his property a it rained in the hole. The government does not own everything it declares it owns. This is the end result of environmental Nazism!! This is happening in Oregon because of the sheep that live there and elect these idiot's!!
Thanks, I really didn’t want to get that deep into the matter, I’ve tried hard to forget the legal side of this. Water rights law in the west has always sucked as it has always seemed to favor the jerks down stream if they had more money or votes. Heck, they even diverted water through the Continental Divide to feed a thirsty Denver.
My concern in this day and age, we could well see the administration try to place the Prior Appropriation Standard on the very air we breathe.