Timely filing of water use forms and administrative fees will help ensure that a water right is official and on file with the OWRB.
As the state’s designated water management agency, the OWRB appropriates stream water and groundwater through water use permitting. Permits are required for most uses of water in Oklahoma, except domestic use.
To effectively manage the state’s water resources, the OWRB tracks how much water is used, by whom, and where. This information helps the agency monitor water supplies, plan for the future, enforce water rights, and comply with interstate compacts.
The annual fee is a cost-recovery measure that supports processing water use reports, maintaining permit records, conducting inspections and compliance reviews, operating data management systems, and staffing the program year-round. This ensures the program is funded without placing the full burden on taxpayers who are not permit holders.
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