§390 — Title 43 Public Lands | U.S. Code

Summary

On and after December 22, 1944, if the Army Secretary, after the Interior Secretary recommends it, decides an Army‑operated dam or reservoir can be used for irrigation, the Interior Secretary may build, run, and care for extra irrigation works. Those projects must follow the Federal reclamation laws (Act of June 17, 1902, and later changes). The Interior Secretary must make the required report and findings under those laws and Congress must give specific approval in an authorization Act before work starts. The report can spread part of the cost to irrigation users if they can repay it. Army‑operated dams and reservoirs can be used for irrigation only under these rules, but current lawful uses stay protected. Dams already built by the Army that store water for irrigation are not covered by this rule. The Army Secretary may temporarily assign unused municipal and industrial water to irrigation until the water is needed for municipal or industrial use, but such temporary contracts must not significantly harm existing uses.

Title 43, §390

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

On and after December 22, 1944, whenever the Secretary of the Army determines, upon recommendation by the Secretary of the Interior that any dam and reservoir project operated under the direction of the Secretary of the Army may be utilized for irrigation purposes, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain, under the provisions of the Federal reclamation laws (Act of June 17, 1902, 32 Stat. 388, and Acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto), such additional works in connection therewith as he may deem necessary for irrigation purposes. Such irrigation works may be undertaken only after a report and findings thereon have been made by the Secretary of the Interior as provided in said Federal reclamation laws and after subsequent specific authorization of the Congress by an authorization Act; and, within the limits of the water users’ repayment ability such report may be predicated on the allocation to irrigation of an appropriate portion of the cost of structures and facilities used for irrigation and other purposes. Dams and reservoirs operated under the direction of the Secretary of the Army may be utilized after December 22, 1944, for irrigation purposes only in conformity with the provisions of this section, but the foregoing requirement shall not prejudice lawful uses now existing: Provided, That this section shall not apply to any dam or reservoir heretofore constructed in whole or in part by the Army engineers, which provides conservation storage of water for irrigation purposes. In the case of any reservoir project constructed and operated by the Corps of Engineers, the Secretary of the Army is authorized to allocate water which was allocated in the project purpose for municipal and industrial water supply and which is not under contract for delivery, for such periods as he may deem reasonable, for the interim use for irrigation purposes of such storage until such storage is required for municipal and industrial water supply. No contracts for the interim use of such storage shall be entered into which would significantly affect then-existing uses of such storage.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Act of June 17, 1902, referred to in text, is popularly known as the Reclamation Act, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 371 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1986—Pub. L. 99–662 inserted at end “In the case of any reservoir project constructed and operated by the Corps of Engineers, the Secretary of the Army is authorized to allocate water which was allocated in the project purpose for municipal and industrial water supply and which is not under contract for delivery, for such periods as he may deem reasonable, for the interim use for irrigation purposes of such storage until such storage is required for municipal and industrial water supply. No contracts for the interim use of such storage shall be entered into which would significantly affect then-existing uses of such storage.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act

July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. section 205(a) of act

July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army. Extension of Variable Payment PlanAuthority of Secretary to extend benefits of variable payment plan to organizations with which he contracts or has contracted for the repayment of

Construction

costs allocated to irrigation on any project undertaken by the United States, including contracts for the storage of water or for the use of stored water under this section, see section 2 of Pub. L. 85–611, Aug. 8, 1958, 72 Stat. 542, set out as a note under section 485h of this title. Section as Unaffected by Submerged Lands ActProvisions of this section as not amended, modified or repealed by the Submerged Lands Act, see section 1303 of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain real property and functions relating to real property, insofar as they pertain to Air Force, from Secretary of the Army and Department of the Army to Secretary of the Air Force and Department of the Air Force, see Secretary of Defense Transfer Order Nos. 14, eff.

July 1, 1948, and 40 [App. B(133)],

July 22, 1949.

§390 Utilization of dams and reservoir projects for irrigation purposes; additional construction; necessity of authorization; apportionment of cost; limitation