---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 U.S.C. § 390hh"
title: "43"
title_heading: "Public Lands"
number: "390hh"
heading: "Operation and maintenance charges"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/390hh"
units:
  - "Chapter 12 — Reclamation and Irrigation of Lands by Federal Government"
  - "Subchapter I–A — Reclamation Reform"
---

# §390hh. Operation and maintenance charges

- (a) **Price adequate to recover charges—** The price of [irrigation water](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=5) delivered by the [Secretary](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=11) pursuant to a [contract](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=1) or an amendment to a [contract](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=1) with a [district](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=2), as specified in [section 390cc of this title](/usc/43/390cc.md), shall be at least sufficient to recover all operation and maintenance charges which the [district](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=2) is obligated to pay to the United States.
- (b) **Modification of price—** Whenever a [district](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=2) enters into a [contract](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=1) or requests that its [contract](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=1) be amended as specified in [section 390cc of this title](/usc/43/390cc.md), and each year thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=11) shall calculate such operation and maintenance charges and shall modify the price of [irrigation water](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=5) delivered under the [contract](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=1) as necessary to reflect any changes in such costs by amending the [district](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=2)’s [contract](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=1) accordingly.
- (c) **Districts not operating from Federal funds—** This section shall not apply to [districts](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=2) which operate and maintain [project](/usc/43/390bb.md?p=8) facilities and finance the operation and maintenance thereof from non-Federal funds.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–293, title II, § 208, Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1267.)