The foundation of Oregon’s water quantity laws go back to the settlement of the West; however, establishment of a comprehensive set of water laws and an office to oversee the state’s water resources did not occur until the office of State Engineer was created in 1905 and the Water Code was passed in 1909. The Water Code required that, with some exceptions, in order to use water in the state, an individual had to first obtain a water right. Over time, a variety of offices, boards and commissions managed water resources and the water rights system.

Today, the Water Resources Department (WRD) is the state agency charged with administration of the laws governing the management and distribution of surface and groundwater resources. The present form of the department was created in 1975, and the Water Resources Commission was established in 1985.

The department protects existing water rights, processes water right transactions, facilitates voluntary streamflow restoration, increases understanding of demands on the state’s water resources, provides accurate and accessible water resource data, and facilitates water supply solutions. The department also protects public health and safety through its dam safety and well construction programs.

Department headquarters and the Northwest Regional office are in Salem. The department also has four other regional offices and 15 small field offices throughout Oregon.