I guess we know who owns the rain now.

[chickened]

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/oregon-man-sentenced-30-days-jail-collecting-rainwater-his-property

I find this hard to believe.

 

[cupman]

Without clicking the link I feel I will believe it.

I will check now and report later.

EDIT: after checking back, and apologies to chickened.. What the heck?? I live in the same area as chickened so we both have a vested interest. This is plain stupid.

 

[speckledhen]

Same would happen in Colorado, I understand.

However, as a realtor and knowing about real land ownership, traditionally, the common law maxim says that real estate includes your parcel of land on the surface, everything on that surface (trees, plants, buildings, etc), all the way to the center of the earth and into the air space above unto infinity. Of course, mineral rights are often separated out and it's common for someone else to own them, even if you own everything else on your property. And planes are allowed to pass through your air space above.

So, how anyone can restrict you from collecting rainwater falling onto your property from your airspace above is beyond my comprehension and no law would stop me from doing so.

Re: Colorado and other western states: http://www.naturalnews.com/029286_rainwater_collection_water.html


Here is a definition of real property from a real estate website:



Quote:

 

[hemet dennis]

Well the guy has 3 non permitted reservoirs that someone complained about. This is only one side of the story. I don't know of anywhere you're allowed to build a dam without a permit. How were they constructed are they safe do they endanger others property or lives ?

The guy went along with the court and opened the gates when he was put on probation then when he got off probation closed them.

Maybe this should be a lesson in working with your neighbors.

 

[Carols Clucks]

When I read the first headline, I thought that the city of Medford was stopping this guy from collecting rain water from his roof etc.

But, from reading the article, diverting a creek is very different. If the city and all the residents depend on that water and he needed a permit to divert, then I can see how it is a problem. If everyone diverted all the creeks that crossed their land, a lot of people in cities might have issues with the lack of water. Of course banning things like lawns might help lessen water needs, but most people seem to not want to have their lawn banned.

 

[speckledhen]

The article wasn't all that clear about him actually diverting water. He said he was collecting rainwater and snow melt, though there may be more to it.

In Colorado, you cannot put a rain barrel under a downspout to collect rainwater, as I understand it. Sorry, Mr. Gov't, rain falling within my property boundaries will be collected by me if I so choose-I don't care what laws they pass.

 

[hemet dennis]

The article wasn't all that clear about him actually diverting water. He said he was collecting rainwater and snow melt, though there may be more to it.

In Colorado, you cannot put a rain barrel under a downspout to collect rainwater, as I understand it. Sorry, Mr. Gov't, rain falling within my property boundaries will be collected by me if I so choose-I don't care what laws they pass.

Has anyone been told They'll be arrested for collecting barrels of rain water for home use ?
3 reservoirs is a lot different then some barrels.

Lets not try to inflame this and get the thread closed.

 

[HEChicken]

Has anyone been told They'll be arrested for collecting barrels of rain water for home use ?

As I understand it, someone in Colorado WAS arrested for doing just that last summer (2011). When I saw the title of this thread, that case was actually the first thing that sprang to mind but SpeckledHen beat me to it.

 

[hemet dennis]

As I understand it, someone in Colorado WAS arrested for doing just that last summer (2011). When I saw the title of this thread, that case was actually the first thing that sprang to mind but SpeckledHen beat me to it.

I think you're talking about a business that was collecting rain water for the car wash. And he wasn't arrested he was made to get a permit.

 

[chickened]

Just a thought here but if the runoff does damage to this person's property is the city liable? It would seem so.

A local paper said he was collecting it for a firefighting use.