Bill > SB1294

This bill amends Oklahoma's law on water and water rights, modifying procedures related to the determination of maximum annual yield for groundwater basins and subbasins. The key provisions include: 1) Requiring the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to review and update hydrologic surveys on major and minor groundwater basins every 20 years. 2) Authorizing the Board to cooperate with state, federal, and tribal agencies in conducting these surveys and investigations. 3) Allowing the Board to prescribe delayed or gradual implementation of equal proportionate share allocations for groundwater use, if the current total allocated amount is 25% or less of the maximum annual yield, to prevent interference or violation of limits for sensitive sole source aquifers. 4) Authorizing the Board to establish well spacing rules and grant exceptions to well location requirements in certain circumstances to prevent unreasonable impact on other wells. The bill takes effect on November 1, 2018.