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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Crank shooting call likely a case of 'SWAT-ing,' Medford police say ... Suspected car thief found asleep in stolen vehicle in Ashland ... Cooking oil fire damages SOU-owned house, displaces two ... Crank shooting call likely a case of 'SWAT-ing,' Medford police say ... Suspected car thief found asleep in stolen vehicle in Ashland ... Cooking oil fire damages SOU-owned house, displaces two ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Water grab is legal, but you'll need approval Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 31, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted May. 31, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News I'm wondering what the whole story is about Erickson using its helicopters to fight fires and them drawing water out of the Rogue River and spraying it on the ground for reporters. Do they have a legal water right to take that water? Normally, you need a water right to take any water out of a stream. — Catherine, Medford You weren't the only one wondering how this whole water-for-firefighting situation works, so we posed it to Jackson County Watermaster Travis Kelly. You're right, Catherine, in the sense that people or businesses can't just take water out of the Rogue or any other stream for personal or commercial use, but there are some distinct exemptions listed in ORS 537.141, Kelly says. The first exemption listed in the statue is for active firefighting and the second is for nonemergency firefighting exercises, as long as firms such as Erickson receive written approval from the local watermaster for the time and location of the water used for training, according to the statute. An exercise for wildland firefighting training such as what Erickson did Tuesday is "well within the extent of the exemption," Kelly says. But there is one problem: Kelly says Erickson never notified him about that training, nor did he provide written approval for it. A quick call Thursday from Kelly to Erickson officials ironed everything out, and Erickson will be getting those written approvals for future training, Kelly says. A misunderstanding such as this is common in water law, Kelly says, and watermasters such as himself typically look at whether there was intent to misuse water. In this case, Kelly says, he sees no intent to skirt water law by Erickson's part. So Erickson received only a verbal warning, Kelly says. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 31, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501