Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102

§322 Desert Lands Defined; Question How Determined

Title 43 › CHAPTER 9 — DESERT-LAND ENTRIES › § 322

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Land, except timber or mineral, that cannot grow crops without irrigation is desert land. Two or more credible witnesses must file sworn statements in the land office. The Secretary of the Interior or his appointee decides.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §322

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

All lands exclusive of timber lands and mineral lands which will not, without irrigation, produce some agricultural crop, shall be deemed desert lands, within the meaning of sections 321 to 323, 325, and 327 to 329 of this title, which fact shall be ascertained by proof of two or more credible witnesses under oath, whose affidavits shall be filed in the land office in which said tract of land may be situated. The determination of what may be considered desert land shall be subject to the decision and regulation of the Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification The first paragraph of this section is from section 2 of act Mar. 3, 1877. The second paragraph of this section is from the last clause of section 3 of act Mar. 3, 1877. The first clause of section 3 is incorporated in section 323 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Section as Unaffected by Submerged Lands ActProvisions of this section as not amended, modified or repealed by the Submerged Lands Act, see section 1303 of this title.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

“Secretary of the Interior or such officer as he may designate” substituted for “Commissioner of the General Land Office” on authority of section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, which abolished General Land Office and Commissioner thereof and transferred functions of General Land Office to a new agency in Department of the Interior to be known as Bureau of Land Management. See section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 322

Title 43, Public Lands

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102