Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102
§440 Regulations as to Use of Water and Requirements as to Cultivation and Reclamation of Land; Cancellation for Noncompliance with Requirements
Title 43 › CHAPTER 12 — RECLAMATION AND IRRIGATION OF LANDS BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT › SUBCHAPTER VI — WATER RIGHT APPLICATIONS AND LAND ENTRIES › § 440
Summary
The Secretary of the Interior can make rules about using water for irrigation and can require a person who files a water‑right application or entry to reclaim and farm 1/4 of the irrigable area within three full irrigation seasons and 1/2 within five full irrigation seasons, and the Secretary must enforce compliance; failing to meet these rules can lead to cancellation of the application or entry.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §440
Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to make general rules and regulations governing the use of water in the irrigation of the lands within any project, and may require the reclamation for agricultural purposes and the cultivation of one-fourth the irrigable area under each water-right application or entry within three full irrigation seasons after the filing of water-right application or entry, and the reclamation for agricultural purposes and the cultivation of one-half the irrigable area within five full irrigation seasons after the filing of the water-right application or entry, and shall provide for continued compliance with such requirements. Failure on the part of any water-right applicant or entryman to comply with such requirements shall render his application or entry subject to cancellation.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 440
Title 43, Public Lands
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102