---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 U.S.C. § 485d"
title: "43"
title_heading: "Public Lands"
number: "485d"
heading: "Time of payments to the United States"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/485d"
units:
  - "Chapter 12 — Reclamation and Irrigation of Lands by Federal Government"
  - "Subchapter X — Payment of Construction Charges"
---

# §485d. Time of payments to the United States


The [Secretary](/usc/43/485a.md?p=b) in this discretion may require, in connection with any contract entered into pursuant to the authority of this subchapter, that the contract provide (1) that the payments for each year to be made to the United States shall become due and payable on such date or dates, not exceeding two, in each year as the [Secretary](/usc/43/485a.md?p=b) determines will be substantially contemporaneous with the time or times in each year when water users receive crop returns and (2) if the contract be with an [organization](/usc/43/485a.md?p=g), that assessments or levies for the purpose of obtaining moneys sufficient to meet the [organization](/usc/43/485a.md?p=g)’s payments under said contract shall be made and shall become due and payable within a certain period or periods of time prior to the date or dates on which the [organization](/usc/43/485a.md?p=g)’s payments to the United States are due and payable, said period or periods of time to be agreed upon in each said contract.

The [Secretary](/usc/43/485a.md?p=b) may provide such deferments of [construction charges](/usc/43/485a.md?p=d) as in his judgment are necessary to prevent said requirements from resulting in inequitable pyramiding of payments of said charges.


## Source credit

(Aug. 4, 1939, ch. 418, § 5, 53 Stat. 1191.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Extension of Secretary’s Authority To Enter Into Amendatory Contracts

Secretary’s authority extended through Dec. 31, 1960, see section 485b–1 of this title.