---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 U.S.C. § 521"
title: "43"
title_heading: "Public Lands"
number: "521"
heading: "Sale of surplus waters generally"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/521"
units:
  - "Chapter 12 — Reclamation and Irrigation of Lands by Federal Government"
  - "Subchapter XIII — Sale or Lease of Surplus Waters, Water Power, Storage Capacity, and Water Transportation Facilities"
---

# §521. Sale of surplus waters generally


The [Secretary](/usc/43/485a.md?p=b) of the Interior in connection with the operations under the reclamation law is authorized to enter into contract to supply water from any [project](/usc/43/485a.md?p=c) irrigation system for other purposes than irrigation, upon such conditions of delivery, use, and payment as he may deem proper: Provided, That the approval of such contract by the water-users’ [association](/usc/43/31b.md?p=2) or [associations](/usc/43/31b.md?p=2) shall have first been obtained: Provided, That no such contract shall be entered into except upon a showing that there is no other practicable source of water supply for the purpose: Provided further, That no water shall be furnished for the uses aforesaid if the delivery of such water shall be detrimental to the water service for such irrigation [project](/usc/43/485a.md?p=c), nor to the rights of any prior appropriator: Provided further, That the moneys derived from such contracts shall be covered into the reclamation fund and be placed to the credit of the [project](/usc/43/485a.md?p=c) from which such water is supplied.


## Source credit

(Feb. 25, 1920, ch. 86, 41 Stat. 451.)