43 U.S.C. § 661 Appropriation of Waters On Public Lands; Rights of Way For Canals and Ditches

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-21 (published on www.congress.gov on 11/13/2023)

Whenever, by priority of possession, rights to the use of water for mining, agricultural, manufacturing, or other purposes, have vested and accrued, and the same are recognized and acknowledged by the local customs, laws, and the decisions of courts, the possessors and owners of such vested rights shall be maintained and protected in the same; and the right of way for the construction of ditches and canals for the purposes herein specified is acknowledged and confirmed; but whenever any person, in the construction of any ditch or canal, injures or damages the possession of any settler on the public domain, the party committing such injury or damage shall be liable to the party injured for such injury or damage.

All patents granted, or preemption or homesteads allowed, shall be subject to any vested and accrued water rights, or rights to ditches and reservoirs used in connection with such water rights, as may have been acquired under or recognized by this section.

Cite as 43 U.S.C. § 661

Source: R.S. §§2339, 2340.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

CODIFICATION

R.S. §2339 derived from act July 26, 1866, ch. 262, §9, 14 Stat. 253.

R.S. §2340 derived from act July 9, 1870, ch. 235, §17, 16 Stat. 218.

This section is also classified to sections 51 and 52 of Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining.