1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 SENATE BILL 1341 By: Howard
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to water and water rights; defining
7 terms; directing certain inspections and audits;
8 providing for active management plan to be employed
8 under certain circumstances; requiring metering for
9 certain permits by certain date; directing rule
9 promulgation; providing for codification; and
10 providing an effective date.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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15 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1020.9D of Title 82, unless
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16 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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17 A. As used in this section:
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18 1. “Critical groundwater management area” or “CGMA” means all
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19 or part of a groundwater basin that does not have sufficient
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20 groundwater to provide a reasonably safe supply for municipal use,
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21 irrigation, or other uses at the current or projected rates of
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22 withdrawal. CGMAs shall be limited to basins which have had a
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23 comprehensive scientific study performed in conjunction with the
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 1 United States Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Geological
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2 Survey, and the Oklahoma Water Resources Board;
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3 2. “Interference” means the interference that occurs when there
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4 is a prior appropriation of water rights and a new or existing
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5 user’s actions negatively impact the established rights of those who
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6 have historically utilized those water rights for a beneficial
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7 purpose. Interference arises if the new or existing user’s
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8 activities, such as excessive extraction or contamination, diminish
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9 the quantity or quality of water available to the prior
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10 appropriators; and
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11 3. “Active management plan” means a plan to address the
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12 degradation of a basin within a CGMA.
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13 B. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board shall perform spot
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14 inspections, audits, or other testing as deemed necessary by the
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15 Board to maintain adequate determinations of basin measurements,
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16 yields, and sustainability of a CGMA and establish reasonable and
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17 defensible hydrologic thresholds that could inform management of
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18 permitted groundwater in a CGMA. The Board and field agents of the
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19 Board shall take into account any interference occurring within the
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20 CGMA in their inspection and reporting.
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21 C. In the event that a field agent of the Board recommends to
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22 the Board that an active management plan be implemented for a CGMA,
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23 the Board shall make a determination as to whether the CGMA shall be
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 1 placed under such plan. Such plan may include but not be limited to
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2 the following:
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3 1. Assignment of an Oklahoma Water Resources Board field agent
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4 to a CGMA;
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5 2. Placement of a stay or moratorium on new permits;
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6 3. Active metering for existing permit holders;
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7 4. Well placement and spacing for any new permits;
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8 5. Specific programming to allocate resources for the
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9 modernization and remediation of impacted basins; and
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10 6. Implementation of metering or monitoring with regard to
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11 senior permit holders.
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12 D. Not later than November 1, 2027, all water permits for water
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13 usage that are in effect shall have metering or measuring of the
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14 water source in place to ensure sustainable use.
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15 E. The Board shall promulgate any rules and regulations
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16 necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section.
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17 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
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19 59-2-2691 RD 12/14/2023 4:26:53 PM
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Statutes affected:
House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill: 82-1085.2
Floor (House): 82-1085.2
Engrossed: 82-1085.2