Man Begins Serving 30 Day Sentence For 'Rainwater Theft'
- Thread starter Locutus
- Start date
He was diverting water from streams,that's a pretty serious offence in any province I have worked in unless you have a permit.
NWT also.
NWT also.
Yep, true enough; but if there was a stream across our property, I'd dam it, damn it. Raise ducks. Trout.
Up here they just give ya house arrest. ;-)
I can see where the law comes from. The flow of rainwater and other runoff does not begin and end at the property line. It is quite possible that others downstream from the property in question may have had a use for that water. Interestingly, however, Alberta farmers were once given provincial and federal grants to build small dams to store water for livestock use on their property. I'm not sure if the program is in use, but Oregon might want to consider copying it.
Absolutely the most stupid thing I have heard in a while. We have a creek on our property and I have a pump in it to supply all the 'grey' water for the house. People have been using water like this for hundreds of years and I'm not going to stop. If the govt wants to fight about it I will put a dam at the bottom and stop the flow completely, which has also been going on for hundreds of years. Point is it is my property and what I do on it is my business. I would not go to jail without being dragged there waving the constitution sections on personal & property rights in the air.
That is me though. This guy in Oregon seems to let it be....
....water under the bridge ;-)
That is me though. This guy in Oregon seems to let it be....
....water under the bridge ;-)
Seems he had a thirst.......................
Oregon man in possession of 13 million gallons of illicit rainwater sentenced to jail
An Oregon resident with 3 massive man-made ponds on his property is sentenced to 30 days in jail after being found guilty (again) of collecting rainwater without a permit.
The bigger story here is that rainwater collection is indeed kosher in Oregon, provided that you’re capturing it from an artificial, impervious surface such as a rooftop with the assistance of rainwater barrels. But an extensive reservoir set-up complete with 10- and 20-foot-tall dams is verboten without the proper, state-issued water-right permits — after all, Oregon law dictates that water is a publicly owned resource — and Harrington did not possess said permits.
Apparently, once upon a time, the state did indeed allow Harrington — code name: “Rain Man" — to collect water in his reservoirs. However, officials reversed their decision the same year, 2003, that the three permits were issued, citing a 1925 law that states the city of Medford holds all exclusive rights to "core sources of water" in the Big Butte Creek watershed and its tributaries.
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/oregon-man-in-possession-of-13-million-gallons-of-illicit-rainwater-sentence
Oregon man in possession of 13 million gallons of illicit rainwater sentenced to jail
An Oregon resident with 3 massive man-made ponds on his property is sentenced to 30 days in jail after being found guilty (again) of collecting rainwater without a permit.
The bigger story here is that rainwater collection is indeed kosher in Oregon, provided that you’re capturing it from an artificial, impervious surface such as a rooftop with the assistance of rainwater barrels. But an extensive reservoir set-up complete with 10- and 20-foot-tall dams is verboten without the proper, state-issued water-right permits — after all, Oregon law dictates that water is a publicly owned resource — and Harrington did not possess said permits.
Apparently, once upon a time, the state did indeed allow Harrington — code name: “Rain Man" — to collect water in his reservoirs. However, officials reversed their decision the same year, 2003, that the three permits were issued, citing a 1925 law that states the city of Medford holds all exclusive rights to "core sources of water" in the Big Butte Creek watershed and its tributaries.
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/oregon-man-in-possession-of-13-million-gallons-of-illicit-rainwater-sentence
Does the "source of water" rule specify if its river/lake or does it include rain water,if so then who decided rain water can't be collected by an individual?
Collecting rainwater is a bit different than diverting or damming streamwater. Here in BC, I'm pretty sure that anyone can collect all the rainwater they want, but we definitely need permits/water rights to rivers, stream, and lakes. If the source of the stream, river or whatever is on your property and there are no other people with rights to the water, then it may be different, but I doubt it. I think you'd still need rights n permits.
I think OR's policy on rainwater is still archaic and a bunch of hogwash, but since the idiot seems to be altering the stream without the proper authority to do so, I think OR has solid legal grounds.
I think OR's policy on rainwater is still archaic and a bunch of hogwash, but since the idiot seems to be altering the stream without the proper authority to do so, I think OR has solid legal grounds.
That is sort of a misnomer- eventually that water is released back into the system! :smile:
You are talking about Riparian rights. Now I'm no expert on them at all, don't know if they automatically apply to every stream in some form or whether they have to be applied for. It would make sense that if a stream flows through your property and no one is drawing from it down stream and as long as you screw up any wild life habitat you should be able to use what need.
What about all these big corporations that "steal" water from rivers lakes and underground in other countries,like what Nestlé does,the liquid is supposed to be a source of life for all humans,not some product to fill the bank accounts of the mega rich.
So is all the water that Vegas gets from Lake Mead. http://www.slideshare.net/Lengkengs/hoover-dam-and-the-negative-effects-on-environment-4204612
And that's just one instance of water mismanagement in one state in one country.
They bought those water rights from the government.
You can buy water rights in Canada. I don't know if all provinces are the same but in BC you apply to the comptroller of water for rights to a creek. The only ones I am aware of are attached to a specific property or use.
A fish farm can have water rights on a river for their hatchery but cannot divert that water to another use. Even community operated kill hatcheries must have a water license.
As a land owner you can have a water license for your property. It is not exactly saleable other than as part of the property. My family has right on a creek for the community water system which we own. Serves around 150 houses now. That water cannot be diverted from the community water distribution for another use (EG: Bulk water exports) without the written permission of the comptroller. Never happen.
oldtimers.
