Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102

§621 Subjection of Lands in State Irrigation District to State Laws Generally

Title 43 › CHAPTER 13 — FEDERAL LANDS INCLUDED IN STATE IRRIGATION DISTRICTS › § 621

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a State sets up an irrigation district under its laws (either before or after August 11, 1916) and that district includes U.S. public land that is open for entry or land that has been entered but not yet given final certificates, and the Secretary of the Interior names those lands when approving the district map and plat, those public lands must follow the State’s irrigation district rules just like similar private land. The United States and people holding unpatented entered land get the same rights, benefits, and exemptions that State law gives private landowners, unless this federal chapter says otherwise. The chapter does not apply to any irrigation district made up mostly (a majority of the acreage) of unentered land.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §621

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

When in any State of the United States under the irrigation district laws of said State there has, prior to August 11, 1916, been organized and created or shall thereafter be organized and created any irrigation district for the purpose of irrigating the lands situated within said irrigation district, and in which irrigation district so created or to be created there shall be included any of the public lands of the United States, such public lands so situated in said irrigation district, when subject to entry, and entered lands within said irrigation district, for which no final certificates have been issued, which may be designated by the Secretary of the Interior in the approval by him of the map and plat of an irrigation district as provided in section 623 of this title, are made and declared to be subject to all the provisions of the laws of the State in which such lands shall be situated relating to the organization, government, and regulation of irrigation districts for the reclamation and irrigation of arid lands for agricultural purposes, to the same extent and in the same manner in which the lands of a like character held under private ownership are or may be subject to said laws: Provided, That the United States and all persons legally holding unpatented lands under entry made under the public land laws of the United States are accorded all the rights, privileges, benefits, and exemptions given by said State laws to persons holding lands of a like character under private ownership except as in this chapter otherwise provided: Provided further, That this chapter shall not apply to any irrigation district comprising a majority acreage of unentered land.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 621

Title 43, Public Lands

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102