Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan

Quick History Lesson - In 1974, the Oklahoma Legislature passed a law requiring the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) to develop a strategic guide for managing the State's water resources over the next 50 years. This strategic guide is known as the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan which was first published in 1980 and then updated in 1997.

Fast forward – In 2006 the Oklahoma Legislature committed approximately $6 million dollars to fund a second update. This second update will be published after a five-year study is completed. The study will incorporate public input, technical studies, future needs assessments and a host of other meetings, workshops, and will result in a report with findings and policy recommendations.

 Ford Drummond, rancher, OCA member and Chairman of our Beef Business Committee, also represents ranching interests as a member of the Board of the OWRB. We visited with Ford recently about the importance of this study and rancher/landowner involvement in the five-year study.

 The bottom line is that this plan could very well result in serious consideration being given to changing the existing water law. Currently the OWRB regulates the use of groundwater, even though the groundwater is considered private property like oil, gas, coal and other minerals. In other words the person who owns land also owns the ground water beneath that land and the OWRB regulates the use of that groundwater.

 It is critically important that ranchers be involved in this process. The first part of the process is made up of 42 local input meetings. These meetings began in April and are projected to be wrapped up by February of next year.

 We encourage you to participate in a meeting close to you. These meetings will provide ranchers with an important opportunity to shape the state's next water plan. The meetings that have been scheduled to date all begin at 6:30 p.m. and are as follows: