In December, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) is hosting the second in a series of localized stakeholder input meetings across the state, focused on the 2025 update of Oklahoma’s Comprehensive Water Plan. We request participation from local and state officials, water utility suppliers, regulated industry, commercial agricultural producers, economic development entities, and representative organizations. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Meetings will be held in Goodwell on December 5th, Lawton on December 5th, Talihina on December 12th, Tahlequah on December 13th and Oklahoma City on December 14th. Details are available here by clicking on the city listed on the OWRB website.
Water affects everyone but in different ways. Bring your ideas as well as your thinking cap as you listen and contemplate the many perspectives you will hear on water.
The Agenda for each meeting will include:
Update on OCWP activities, including a recap of regional comments we heard at the Round 1 meetings in August 2023.
Concurrent breakout sessions. In each session, we will work with attendees to identify specific actions or topics that represent the next best steps toward addressing regional water challenges.
The issues below are examples of the breakout groups topics.
Permitting / Regulations / Policy Examples:
- Change in well permitting & spacing rules. Should there be a setback/buffer from your neighbors’ property lines? Should noncontiguous property be allowed to “dedicate” to a given well permit?
- Better enforcement of existing rules. What policies or rules require better enforcement? What does better enforcement look like? Would local management make more sense? Should it vary by region? Can you manage what you don’t measure?
- Groundwater management and/or irrigation districts. What are the differences between groundwater management and irrigation districts? Which one or do both address stakeholder concerns? How does implementing one or both change existing agency roles/responsibilities?
Collaboration / Partnership Examples:
- Regional water planning. How might shared collaborative resources improve your water situation? If industry, towns, farmers, tribes, RWDs, dependent on a common water source(s) collectively planned, lobbied, sought grants, and shared resources for water needs, how might their water future improve?
- Encouraging best water management practices (BMPs). What water management practices should be encouraged? What types of water uses should be prioritized? What types of incentives would be most effective? What would be ineffective?
Funding / Financing Examples:
- Existing funding/financing programs. What programs have worked well? What could be improved? Are you aware of funding gaps for water? Whose needs are not being met by the existing programs?
- New funding/financing programs. Is a new funding/financing program needed or does it make sense to expand/modify existing programs?
Discussion questions for all topics will include:
- How would this/these be implemented?
- What are the challenges with implementing ideas and how do we address these?
Our team is looking to hear from problem solvers and ask that participants join these meetings with thinking caps on and a willingness to both hear and learn from the unique experiences and knowledge of other participants.
