Beaver-North Canadian Reach II MAY Hearing

Beaver-North Canadian Reach II MAY Hearing The Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) has made a tentative order to update and amend the final determination of the maximum annual yield of fresh groundwater from Reach II of the Beaver-North Canadian River Alluvium and Terrace Groundwater Basin in portions of Blaine, Canadian, and Oklahoma counties. The tentative order proposes setting the annual amount of groundwater that may be withdrawn from the groundwater basin at 0.5 acre-feet per acre. After a final determination has been made, all new regular groundwater permits within the basin shall be issued for the determined amount. The amount of water authorized for existing regular permits will not change from the 1990 final order determination of 1.0 acre-feet per acre per year. All beneficial use groundwater wells drilled within the basin must adhere to the 600-foot well spacing requirement This determination of the maximum annual yield will not affect "prior rights" to use groundwater. "Prior rights" are groundwater rights established by the Oklahoma Groundwater Law prior to July 1, 1973, and recognized by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. A public hearing on the Tentative Maximum Annual Yield Order shall be held and conducted by the Board at the Roman Nose State Park Lodge in Blaine County on October 23, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. At the hearing, the Board shall present evidence of the updated hydrogeologic findings and determinations upon which the tentative maximum annual yield of the basin has been based. Any interested party may attend the hearing and present evidence or comment in response to, in support of, or in opposition to the Board's tentative findings. Appearance at the hearing may be in person and/or by legal counsel and may be presented orally and/or in writing. Prior to the public hearing, copies of the pertinent materials relied upon by the Board shall be available for examination at the Oklahoma Water Resources Board office at 3800 N. Classen Blvd. in Oklahoma City and at the following locations: • Watonga Public Library at 301 Prouty St., Watonga, OK 73772 • El Reno Carnegie Library at 215 East Wade., El Reno, OK 73036 Digital versions of the pertinent materials will be available on the OWRB Water Permitting page at the following link: https://oklahoma.gov/owrb/water-permitting.html. Materials available for inspection include: 1. Hydrogeological Framework, Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Flow, and Effects of Projected Water Use and Drought for the Beaver-North Canadian River Alluvial Aquifer, Northwestern Oklahoma. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5183. 2. OWRB Tentative Order for Reach II of the Beaver-North Canadian River Alluvium and Terrace Groundwater Basin, approved on July 15, 2025. 3. OWRB Maximum Annual Yield determination executive summary report for Reach II. See Title 82 O.S. Supp. 2000, Sections 1020.5, 1020.6 and 1085.2. For more information, contact the Oklahoma Water Resources Board at (405) 530-8800. LPXLP September 3, 10 2025 LOKL0358264