While some warn of groundwater depletion in Oklahoma, efforts to tighten monitoring fail again

Efforts to more accurately track commercial groundwater use in Oklahoma failed again this year at the Legislature after facing tight deadlines and some pushback from agricultural interests. 

State law requires operators of commercial groundwater wells — used for things like agriculture or oil and gas production — to send in reports of their groundwater usage. But many users report that they draw exactly how much water their permit allows, or they don’t send in reports at all, Oklahoma Water Resources Board Director Julie Cunningham told lawmakers last year.

Penalties for nonreporting or overuse are scarce. The state had never fined a permit holder for overusing water before last year. But reports of declining groundwater in certain parts of the state and fears over future water availability have pushed officials to pay more attention to usage. 

While some warn of groundwater depletion in Oklahoma, efforts to tighten monitoring fail again