SB 1008: Water and water rights; metering of wells; requiring all permit holders to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to implement certain allocation to encourage conservation after certain date. Effective date. - Oklahoma

SB1008 (3-04-25) (MURDOCK) FA1.PDF → Floor (Senate) · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add new requirements for groundwater metering and reporting, establish a five-year flexible allocation system for conservation, and set an effective date of November 1, 2025. The changes expand the Board's authority to mandate metering for permit holders and create a new allocation mechanism that allows some flexibility in water use over five years while maintaining overall basin limits.

Scope change

The bill now applies more broadly to all permit holders authorized to take and use groundwater, requiring implementation of a groundwater usage measurement system.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for all permit holders to implement groundwater usage measurement systems, including telemetry devices capable of reporting usage.

Added requirement for permit holders to report meter readings at reasonable intervals to the Board.

Added requirement for applicants seeking flexible allocation to submit annual usage reports and pay annual permit fees.

Added limitation that permit holders cannot exceed permitted annual allocation by more than 200% in any single year.

TIMELINE

Established a five-year flexible allocation system beginning January 1, 2026, allowing existing and new permit holders to use water based on previously determined allocations.

Set effective date of the act to November 1, 2025.

EXEMPTIONS

Added exemption for domestic wells from the new metering and allocation provisions.

Committee Substitute → SB1008 (3-04-25) (MURDOCK) FA1.PDF · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to remove the original metering requirements and replace them with a new groundwater conservation framework. The amendment eliminates the requirement for landowners to request metering and instead mandates that all permit holders implement a measurement system. It introduces a five-year flexible allocation system starting January 1, 2026, allowing permit holders to exceed annual allocations while staying within cumulative limits.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from voluntary metering upon majority request to mandatory measurement systems for all permit holders, with new flexibility in water allocation.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the provision allowing the Board to require metering only upon request of a majority of landowners within a basin or subbasin.

Added mandatory requirement for all permit holders to implement groundwater measurement systems including telemetry devices.

TIMELINE

Established a five-year flexible allocation system beginning January 1, 2026.

ELIGIBILITY

Created three categories of eligibility for the flexible allocation: existing permit holders, new applicants, and temporary permit holders in basins without yield determinations.

ENFORCEMENT

Changed from optional metering based on landowner request to mandatory measurement system implementation for all permit holders.

Introduced → Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from a focus on surface water permits and soil moisture assessments to primarily address groundwater metering requirements and a new five-year flexible allocation system for groundwater permits. The Committee Substitute shifts the statutory reference from Section 105.13 (surface water) to Section 1020.19 (groundwater metering) and adds provisions for flexible allocation starting in 2026.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from regulating surface water permits with soil moisture requirements to regulating groundwater permits with metering requirements and flexible allocation options.

SCOPE

The bill was changed from amending Section 105.13 (surface water permits) to amending Section 1020.19 (groundwater metering).

REQUIREMENT

Removed requirements for soil moisture assessments and moisture thresholds for surface water permits.

Added requirements for all groundwater permit holders to implement groundwater measurement systems with telemetry devices that report usage data.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new five-year flexible allocation system for groundwater permits starting January 1, 2026, allowing permit holders to exceed annual allocations while staying within cumulative five-year limits.

Added exemptions for domestic wells from the new groundwater metering and flexible allocation requirements.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date provisions and removed references to provisional temporary permits for surface water.

Water and water rights; metering of wells; requiring all permit holders to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to implement certain allocation to encourage conservation after certain date. Effective date.

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