OK HB4459

Oklahoma Water Resources Board must provide five-year flex allocation of groundwater usage beginning January 1, 2027, allowing permit holders to exceed annual allocations in individual years if cumulative use over five years stays within limits

Permit holders may not exceed 150% of their annual allocation in any single year; exceeding this threshold constitutes waste under existing law

Five-year flex allocation requires annual usage reports from Board-approved water measurement systems and payment of annual groundwater permit fees; existing permit holders do not need new permits

Non-participating permit holders must join a voluntary groundwater measurement program through irrigation districts or conservation districts, which provide measuring systems on a loan or cost-share basis

Domestic wells are exempt from these requirements; act becomes effective November 1, 2026