The director is authorized to enter into contracts or compacts on behalf of the State of Georgia with the federal government, sister states, political subdivisions of this state, and public utilities of this state for purposes of proper management of the state's surface-water resources, provided that any such contract shall be subject to approval by the Board of Natural Resources; provided, further, that any such contract shall not grant to any person any right to use surface waters except to the extent such person would qualify for such use under the permitting system established pursuant to Code Section 12-5-31.