Department of Forestry
Chapter 629
Division 625
FOREST ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE
629-625-0600
Road Maintenance
(1) The purpose of this rule is to protect water quality and ensure hydrologic disconnection of roads from waters of the state to the maximum extent practicable by timely maintenance of all active and inactive roads. Road surface must be maintained as necessary to:
(a) Minimize erosion of the surface and the subgrade;
(b) Minimize direct delivery of surface water to waters of the state;
(c) Minimize sediment entry to waters of the state;
(d) Direct any groundwater that is captured by the road surface onto stable portions of the forest floor;
(e) Ensure properly functioning and durable drainage features; and
(f) For existing roads with inboard ditch, avoid overcleaning of ditchlines.
(2) Operators shall inspect and maintain culvert inlets and outlets, drainage structures, and ditches before and during the rainy season as necessary to minimize the likelihood of impeding flow and the possibility of structure failure.
(3) Operators shall provide effective road surface drainage, such as water barring, surface crowning, constructing sediment barriers, or outsloping prior to the rainy and runoff seasons.
(4) When applying road oil or other surface stabilizing materials, operators shall plan and conduct the operation in a manner as to prevent entry of these materials into waters of the state.
(5) Operators shall maintain, and repair active and inactive roads as needed to minimize damage to waters of the state. This may include maintenance and repair of all portions of the road prism during and after intense winter storms, as safety, weather, soil moisture, and other considerations permit.
(6) Operators shall place material removed from ditches in a stable location.
(7) Operators shall install drainage structures on ditches that capture groundwater.
(8) Where needed to protect water quality, as directed by the State Forester, operators shall place additional cross drainage structures on existing active roads within their ownership prior to hauling to meet the requirements of PAR 629-625-0330.
(9) In order to maintain fish passage through water crossing structures, operators shall:
(a) Maintain conditions at the structures so that passage of adult and juvenile fish is not impaired during periods when fish movement normally occurs;
(b) As reasonably practicable, keep structures cleared of woody debris and deposits of sediment that would impair fish passage; and
(c) Adhere to other fish passage requirements under the authority of ORS 509.580 through 509.910 and OAR 635-412-0005 through 635-412-0040 administered by other state agencies that may be applicable to water crossing structures.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 527.710(2) & Section 2(1), Chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 527.630(3), 527.765, 527.714 & Section 2(2), Chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022
History:
DOF 1-2024, amend filed 01/03/2024, effective 01/03/2024
DOF 7-2022, amend filed 11/21/2022, effective 01/01/2024
DOF 2-2013, f. 7-11-13, cert. ef. 9-1-13
DOF 12-2002, f. 12-9-02 cert. ef. 1-1-03
FB 9-1996, f. 12-2-96, cert. ef. 1-1-97