In 2006, the Oklahoma legislature approved funds for the most recent update to the Oklahoma Comprehensive Water Plan (“Plan”). The Plan, which is intended to be implemented over the next fifty years, will be a strategic guide for managing Oklahoma’s water resources, with suggestions for legislation and regulation. The process is designed to maximize input from stakeholders across the state, beginning with local and regional input meetings to get general ideas about citizens’ water-related concerns. The ideas from the meetings were then sorted and addressed in planning workshops attended by participants selected from regional input meetings. The planning workshops developed general strategies for resolving concerns raised in the input meetings.

In May 2010, select participants from the planning workshops will participate in a three-day Town Hall meeting to draft and vote on the specific proposals to be included in the Plan. Kassandra M. Bentley, has been selected to attend this meeting.

During the first two days, participants will divide into groups of thirty to develop recommendations. On the third day, participants will meet together to discuss and vote on proposed amendments to recommendations and to select recommendations to be included in the Plan.

After the Town Hall meeting is complete, the draft Plan will be subjected to a final round of public review at eleven regional feedback meetings. In October 2011, the Plan will be formally considered by the nine-member Oklahoma Water Resources Board. If approved, the Plan will then be submitted to the Oklahoma legislature and governor in February 2012.

By Kassandra Bentley, kbentley@dsda.com