use by permit holders. A. To the extent that the water authorized is not put to beneficial use as provided by the terms of the permit, that amount not so used shall be forfeited by the holder of the permit and shall become public water and available for appropriation. B. When the party entitled to the use of water commences using water but thereafter fails to beneficially use all or any part of the water claimed by him or her, for which a right of use has been vested for the purpose for which it was appropriated for a period of seven (7) continuous years, such unused water shall revert to the public and shall be regarded as unappropriated public water. C. Permit holders shall report their annual water use to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board in a manner provided by the Board. The water use report shall provide the permit holder an opportunity to explain any nonuse of the water allocated by the permit. In addition to the procedure for individual proceedings provided for in Section 105.18 of this title, the Board is authorized to promulgate rules for reporting stream water used and the approval of excused nonuse of stream water. D. Failure to report annual water usage may result in cancellation of the permit by the Board upon proper notice and hearing as provided in Section 105.18 of this title. Added by Laws 1972, c. 256, § 17. Amended by Laws 1993, c. 164, § 6, emerg. eff. May 10, 1993; Laws 2024, c. 367, § 3, emerg. eff. May 31, 2024.
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