[Rockhounds] This Is Why It’s Illegal to Collect Rainwater in Some States

[Tim Fisher]

I hadn't even read the article but I immediately knew what it would have to say about Oregon. And I also knew that the news media had screwed that one up, royally. He can't build ponds to collect the water without numerous state and federal permits, which for that size pond would easily take a year and thousands of dollars to obtain. Somehow this got twisted into "collecting rainwater is illegal". Building structures to impound a stream, spring, seep, wetland, surface runoff, or just plain old rain from the sky without any permits or water rights whatsoever is as illegal as it gets in the west. Even a removal/fill permit (not necessarily from the Corps, that usually applies in flowing water or wetland situations) is necessary to move that much dirt (in our county anything deeper than 2 feet). Googling it, even Snopes has weighed in. Which is news to me, and a great summary of exactly while the guy had the book thrown at him.
 
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/man-gets-prison-sentence-for-collecting-rainwater-on-his-own-property/

Tim Fisher
Orerockon.com
Email nospam at orerockon.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Rockhounds [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com] On Behalf Of destravlr
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2018 9:36 PM
To: rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] This Is Why It’s Illegal to Collect Rainwater in Some States

Look up the rules on building dams, restricting water courses regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Lots of regulations because of downstream water rights.


On Tue, Nov 27, 2018 at 8:35 PM Doug Bank <dougbank at alum.mit.edu> wrote:

> After reading the article, I question the reason for arresting that 
> guy in Oregon. If a neighbor of mine had that much water stored behind 
> 20 foot dams, I would be pretty worried that it would all collapse and 
> destroy my property. That feels like a more rational reason to make 
> such practices illegal...
>
> > On Nov 27, 2018, at 10:29 PM, Kreigh Tomaszewski <kreigh at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > No one *likes* rainwater. That’s why umbrellas and raincoats exist, 
> > and
> why
> > most folks take extensive measures to stay inside when it’s coming 
> > down outside. However, if you, for whatever reason, wanted not only 
> > to experience the rain but keep some for yourself, you might find 
> > yourself
> on
> > the wrong side of the law. That’s because, weirdly, collecting 
> > rainwater
> is
> > actually illegal in some states.
> >
> > https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/did-you-know/this-is-why-it
> > ’s-illegal-to-collect-rainwater-in-some-states/ar-BBPMSSi?ocid=spart
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