An act relating to waters and water rights, the official text

1                   STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

3 HOUSE BILL 1807               By: Newton

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5

6                               AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to waters and water rights; amending

    82 O.S. 2021, Section 1020.19, which relates to

8   metering of wells; providing that the Oklahoma Water

    Resources Board require certain meters for water

9   wells; providing measuring requirements; requiring

    data from the measuring system to be utilized for the

10  annual groundwater use report; authorizing approval

    of allocation of annual yield of basins or subbasins;

11  providing application requirements and annual permit

    fee; authorizing applicants to exceed annual yields

12  upon approval by the Board; providing an exception;

    and providing an effective date.

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15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

16  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  82 O.S. 2021, Section 1020.19, is

17 amended to read as follows:

18  Section 1020.19. Upon request of a majority of the landowners

19 residing within a basin or subbasin, the Board is authorized to

20 require that water wells be metered and that such meters as the

21 Board shall approve be utilized by the applicant and placed under

22 seal, subject to reading by the agents of the Board at any time.

23  A. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board shall require that all

24 water wells requiring a permit to take and use groundwater from the

    Req. No. 10369                                                  Page 1
1 Oklahoma Water Resources Board be equipped with water well flow

2 meters or an alternative measuring system as defined by the Board.

3 Such measuring systems shall remain on the well and be in proper

4 operating condition at all times when groundwater is being produced.

5 Data from the measuring system shall be utilized for the annual

6 groundwater use report. The Board may also require that the

7 applicant report the reading of such meters or alternative measuring

8 systems at reasonable intervals.

9   B. Beginning January 1, 2026, a five-year allocation of the

10 maximum annual yield of the basin or subbasin may be approved for a

11 regular permit. An applicant for a five-year allocation shall be

12 required to submit annual usage as determined by a water well flow

13 meter and pay the annual permit fee. If approved by the Board, the

14 applicant may exceed the maximum annual yield in any year of the

15 five-year allocation; provided, the applicant shall adhere to the

16 cumulative maximum annual yield for the basin or subbasin over the

17 five-year period.

18  SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.

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20  60-1-10369        JBH  03/25/26

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    Req. No. 10369                                                 Page 2