No Industry Should Control Our Water - No on SQ 777

   As I drove to OKC the other day, I saw a billboard on the west side of Highway 62 just north of Newcastle which read: "No Industry Should Control Our Water - Vote No on SQ 777". At that moment, I realized what it probably was referring, specifically.
   Several months ago, at a Leadership Oklahoma retreat in Tulsa, one of the topics for study was "water". Specifically, how water should be used in Oklahoma, for the benefit of Oklahomans. One presentation involved "competing" interests as to how our water should be controlled. On one side was Tom Buchanan, President of Oklahoma Farm Bureau, and on the other side was a representative of the Cherokee Nation. Each side on the issue was allowed to speak for approximately 30 minutes and present its case as to how Oklahoma water should be controlled. Mr. Buchanan, whom I met and briefly visited with at the presentation, made the case that water in "wet" parts of the state should be transferred to drier counties, basically from east to west. This seems to make some sense, since farmers and ranchers in the west need more water than they currently have. I assumed that the farmers and ranchers in the west mostly carried FB Insurance, just as they do everywhere. The only issue with this perspective is that farmers and ranchers in eastern and central counties may not wish to give up any water to pump west. I know I don't, and my ranch is in south-central Oklahoma. My ranch has experienced drought just like those in the west, and since future droughts are unpredictable, I doubt if those ranchers in the east would like to lose any water either. Also, since this perspective of water rights is from a corporation (Farm Bureau) - it must at least be considered that to vote yes on SQ 777, is corporately inspired (There are only a few farm corporations in Oklahoma, such as Seaboard and Tyson). Seaboard farm factory is located in a very dry area of the state - the Oklahoma Panhandle - while Tyson farm factory is in the eastern part of the state. I also assume both factories have ties to Farm Bureau. A side-note to this water issue is that Farm Bureau is solidly supporting SQ 777, while our Indian Nations (I believe most if not all) are saying "VOTE NO" on SQ 777.
   The Cherokee Nation representative, then presented its case against SQ 777. The Cherokees as well as the Chickasaws (the area where my ranch is located) believe the water rights belong to the people who reside in any particular location. For example, they believe the water my livestock drink and my ranch uses should stay where it naturally occurs. They believe water is a natural resource provided by God, and not meant for an "industry" to decide where its to be sent (hence the billboard I referred to earlier).
   The takeaway for me from the water issue in SQ 777 is this: Farm Bureau would like to control Oklahomans' water rights, while the Tribal Nations want our family farmers and ranchers to control their own water. It's as simple as that, so I'll be voting NO on SQ 777 - just one more reason...