S492 Summary: Protect Landowners' Water Rights

• Establishes state water resources policy prioritizing protection of landowners' water rights and encouraging voluntary conservation initiatives over regulatory approaches.

• Prohibits state and local governments from adopting rules or ordinances limiting landowners from withdrawing water from impoundments, wells, or other water sources (stormwater, springs, artesian wells) on their property, except under existing authority in Articles 21 and 38 of Chapter 143.

• Exempts water withdrawals for agricultural activities from state regulation when drawn from landowner-constructed impoundments, wells, or natural sources on the property.

• Increases dam safety exemption thresholds from 15 feet in height and 10 acre-feet capacity to 25 feet and 50 acre-feet, and creates new exemption for agricultural water storage dams designed and supervised by licensed professional engineers.

• Applies exemption changes retroactively to dams subject to unresolved enforcement actions as of June 1, 2011.