Here’s my read: this is the blind spot most people don’t even know to check.

Having a well on the property tells you water is physically there. It does not tell you how much you are legally allowed to use, or whether someone else has a stronger claim to it first.

In Oregon, water rights are their own separate thing from the land itself. Some properties have strong, recorded rights. Others have none at all, or rights that only cover household use, not a garden or animals.

Before you get attached to a parcel, it’s time for us to find out exactly what water right comes with it, not just whether there’s a well.

Questions? Let’s talk.