By Carol L. Cole

Transcript Staff Writer

Sustainability and Oklahoma’s water laws were some of the issues raised at a public meeting Thursday evening for area residents to discuss the state’s upcoming 50-year water plan.

About 100 people crowded into a recently renovated classroom at the Cleveland County fairgrounds to offer their opinions — and there was no shortage of opinions offered.

The evening began with a presentation by Dave Dillon, director of planning for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, which is coordinating the development of the water plan.

Dillon said the Oklahoma Legislature was motivated to update the state’s 1995 comprehensive water plan because of recent drought years resulting in dwindling reservoirs and aquifers.

He said the goal is to provide a safe and dependable water supply for all Oklahomans, while improving the economy and protecting the environment.

The water plan is expected to consider population growth, future water needs, competing water interests, vulnerability to drought and flooding, environmental protection and economic development.

Oklahoma’s circa 1972 water statutes are separated into surface and groundwater laws.

Surface water is considered to be publicly owned and subject to appropriation by the OWRB for “beneficial use.”

However, groundwater is considered private property that belongs to the overlying surface owner.

Since 1973, water wells have increased tenfold. Prior to 1972 there were 6,035 groundwater wells, with the number swelling to 69,921 in April 2007. Of those, about 50,000 were domestic water wells.

“It is not a conservation statute. It is not a sustainability statute,” Dillon said, noting the laws were written to encourage Oklahoma to use water to thrive and grow.

Public water supplies are the primary user of surface water or reservoirs, with irrigation for agricultural uses the biggest user of groundwater.

Dillon showed a graphic with all of Oklahoma’s aquifers dropped several feet from 2001 to 2006, primarily a result of several years of drought, he said.

“When we see a decline throughout Oklahoma, we know it’s not primarily because of withdrawal,” Dillon said.

The Arbuckle-Simpson and Blaine aquifers dropped more than 21 feet and almost 10 feet, respectively, during that period.

But those two aquifers “respond very quickly to drought or to rain,” he said.

The U.S. Census indicated Oklahoma had a population of about 3.5 million in 2000. That’s projected by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to increase by 38 percent by 2060.

Several people in the crowd differed on groundwater rights and usage.

Some said it was important to protect the groundwater rights of property owners.

Larry Edmison, speaking for the Oklahoma chapter of the Sierra Club, said current Oklahoma law allows the OWRB to issue groundwater use permits based on an assumed 20-year lifetime for the aquifer.

“This is completely unsustainable,” Edmison said.

He also advocated preservation of in-stream flows, recognizing the interaction between surface and groundwater, avoiding large-scale water transfers and ending private ownership of groundwater.

COMCD board member Steven Jones said the state needs to take care of its own first and recommended transfer of water from the Kiamichi River in southeastern Oklahoma.

“The Kiamichi watershed is the most prolific (in the state),” Jones said. “Less than 1 percent of it is being utilized by Oklahomans. … If we don’t use it, Texas will.”

Neil Suneson of the Oklahoma Geological Survey said he believed the scientific study for the water plan and the policy-making bodies should be kept separate while it’s being developed, so as not to influence the other.

Norman councilmember David Hopper said he hoped the Oklahoma Legislature would encourage super regionals for water planning.

Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal said the state water plan has to emphasize conservation.

“The current water regime of use it or lose it is counterproductive,” Rosenthal said. “And I want to emphasize there are issues with water quality that have to be addressed.”

She said local communities can’t solve financing for water alone.

“A financing mechanism is needed,” Rosenthal said. “Destructive competition will happen if there is not funding assistance.”

Norman environmental specialist Debbie Smith said she would like the state to require communities that receive financial assistance to develop a water conservation plan.

“I think it’s a recipe for disaster to ignore reality,” said Norman councilmember Rachel Butler, recommending creation of an emergency water reserve. “Everybody knows that water conservation is the cheapest way to get more water.”

Norman Utilities Director Ken Komiske said he believed the plan should include use of gray water or effluent for landscaping and other outside uses.

“The plan should include reuse of properly treated wastewater,” Komiske said, noting that Florida required the use of 40 percent of effluent.

One man, an alluminologist from Norman, said Oklahoma stands to be a model for other arid regions with its water plan.

“But if there is no sustainability, it’s not going to work,” he said.

He recommended paying for water at a fair water price and said there should be no ownership of water.

“Americans as a whole do not have any idea of the value of water,” he said.

To get more information or comment on development of the water plan online, see www.okwaterplan.com. Comments from the meeting and the presentation will be posted online at a later date.