Oklahoma Code § 60-60

Title 60. Property: Ownership of water - Use of running water
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
A.  The owner of the land owns water standing thereon, or
flowing over or under its surface but not forming a definite stream.
The use of groundwater shall be governed by the Oklahoma Groundwater
Law. Water running in a definite stream, formed by nature over or
under the surface, may be used by the owner of the land riparian to
the stream for domestic uses as defined in Section 105.1 of Title 82
of the Oklahoma Statutes, but he may not prevent the natural flow of
the stream, or of the natural spring from which it commences its
definite course, nor pursue nor pollute the same, as such water then
becomes public water and is subject to appropriation for the benefit
and welfare of the people of the state, as provided by law; Provided
however, that nothing contained herein shall prevent the owner of
land from damming up or otherwise using the bed of a stream on his
land for the collection or storage of waters in an amount not to
exceed that which he owns, by virtue of the first sentence of this
section so long as he provides for the continued natural flow of the
stream in an amount equal to that which entered his land less the
uses allowed for domestic uses and for valid appropriations made
pursuant to Title 82 of the Oklahoma Statutes; provided further,
that nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the powers
of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to grant permission to build
or alter structures on a stream pursuant to Title 82 of the Oklahoma

Statutes to provide for the storage of additional water the use of
which the landowner has or acquires by virtue of this act.
B.  All rights to the use of water in a definite stream in this
state are governed by this section and other laws in Title 82 of the
Oklahoma Statutes, which laws are exclusive and supersede the common
law.

‹ Prev All Oklahoma sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.