The Oklahoma Water Resources Board is preparing to continue a series of meetings statewide with water utility suppliers, regulated industry, commercial ag producers and economic development entities.
The first three rounds of meetings were held earlier in the year but the fourth round will begin this week.
Round 4 will get focus on:
- Potential water management strategies to address local water challenges
- Discuss specific policy implementation questions based on previous discussions had throughout the engagement process.
Round 4 meetings will be held on the following dates and locations.
- October 24, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | NE – Rogers State University – Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center, 1701 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, OK | Middle Arkansas, Grand, Eufaula, and Lower Arkansas OCWP Planning Regions
- October 25, 9:00 a.m. – Noon | Central – Department of Public Safety Training Center, 3600 N. MLK Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK | Upper Arkansas and Central OCWP Planning Regions
- October 28, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | NW – High Plains Technology Center, 3921 34th St., Woodward, OK | Panhandle OCWP Planning Region
- October 29, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | SW – Quartz Mountain State Park Lodge, 22469 Lodge Rd., Lone Wolf, OK | West Central, Southwest, Beaver-Cache, and Lower Washita OCWP Planning Regions
- October 30, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | SE – Massey Building, 200 West Main Street, Durant, OK | Blue-Boggy and Southeast OCWP Planning Regions
- November 5, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Virtual – Click here to Join the meeting now
In April and May 2024, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) hosted the third in a series of OCWP regional meetings across the state to engage with local officials, water utility suppliers, regulated industry, commercial agricultural producers, economic development entities, and other organizations to converse on local water challenges share opportunities and identify ways the OCWP can inform and support local water planning and management.
The meetings began with a welcome and team introduction by Owen Mills, OWRB’s Planning Director, and a local success story. The OCWP team extends its appreciation to Oklahoma State University, Oka’ Institute, Oklahoma Rural Water Association, Bio X Designs, and the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group for sharing their stories.
During the Round 3 regional meetings (RM3), the OCWP Team presented draft baseline scenario data. These data illustrated the degree to which demands in each of the state’s 82 planning Basins are projected to change from baseline of 2020 to 50-yr projections to 2075. The draft figures presented at RM3 have been updated; the updated figures are included in this summary document.
To meet physical water supply surface water gaps and groundwater depletions, water management strategies can be implemented throughout Oklahoma. Discussion of the effectiveness of strategies specific to each OCWP Planning Region was held in breakout groups. Participants were asked to provide input on the strategies that would be most effective in their area to address water supply challenges. Participants also suggested other strategies, expressed reasons for their positions, and listed potential methods of implementing the strategies. Among the five regional meetings, the following key takeaways were established:
- Effective water management strategies should align locally and focus on the Region’s and/or Basin’s predominant demand.
- Demand Management was identified by participants as a likely highly effective water management strategy in each of the Regions.
- There is a lack of concurrence among meeting participants regarding the future role of large-scale water transfers in the state. However, meeting participants generally expressed support for intra-basin transfers between public supply water systems for the purpose of infrastructure cost-sharing, water supply redundancy/resiliency, or regionalization.
- Watershed Management (e.g., source water protection, eradication of invasive species, etc.) was independently suggested by participants. Suggested means of implementation varied.