SECTION 785:30-1-6. Policy and applicability to prior rights

(a)   Policy. It is declared to be the public policy of the State of Oklahoma, in the interest of the agricultural stability, domestic, municipal, industrial and other beneficial uses, general economy, and health and welfare of the State and its citizens, to utilize the groundwater resources of the State, and for that purpose to provide reasonable regulations for the allocation for reasonable use based on hydrologic surveys of fresh groundwater basins or subbasins to determine a restriction on the production based upon the acres overlying the groundwater basin or subbasin. [82:1020.2]

(b)   Applicability to prior rights. Several provisions of this Chapter apply to prior rights as well as permits to use groundwater, which prior rights are determined to exist through proceedings of the Board conducted under Subchapter 11 of this Chapter pursuant to Title 82 O.S., Section 1020.14.