Reclamation Reform Act
The Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA) limits the total of owned and/or leased land that can be irrigated by a landholder. A landholder is a person, persons, or entity that can own or lease ground directly or indirectly in a Reclamation project. Landholders who are subject to the Discretionary Provisions (New Law) are entitled to 960 irrigable class one equivalent acres. Landholders who are subject to Prior Law (Old Law) are entitled to 160 acres for individuals or 320 for married persons. This limitation can be exceeded for leased land by paying additional Federal water charges (Full Cost).
All landholders who hold non-exempt land (irrigable land that is subject to the acreage limitation provisions) within Bureau of Reclamation projects that are above the forms submittal threshold must annually file an RRA form as a condition for the receipt of irrigation water. This requirement applies to individuals, married couples and their dependents, legal entities, religious or charitable organizations, and public entities. Owned land must be declared on RRA forms as the title is held. In addition, all operators who provide services to trusts and/or legal entities on more than 960 acres westwide also must file an annual RRA form for the land to be eligible to receive Reclamation water.
RRA forms must be filed with the irrigation district(s) in which the landholdings are located. If an RRA form is not filed, the landholder will not be eligible to receive Reclamation irrigation water. Delivery of Reclamation irrigation water to land without an RRA form is a violation of the RRA and the Acreage Limitation Rules and Regulations (43CFRpart 426).
Please contact RRA Technician Kristal Ornelas via email at kornelas@scbid.org or by calling the SCBID District office at 509-547-1735. Additional information can also be found at www.usbr.gov/rra.
We can assist you to determine:
Your status under Reclamation law
What forms are required
What your entitlements are as an operator or qualified, limited, or prior law recipient
How the signature requirements, trust requirements, or how involuntary acquisitions may affect you
LINK: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Reclamation Reform Act
What are my entitlements?
Under the RRA there are two types of entitlements. The ownership entitlement refers to the maximum amount of owned land an individual or entity may irrigate with water from a Reclamation project. The nonfull-cost entitlement refers to the maximum amount of directly or indirectly owned or leased land an individual or entity may hold and irrigate at less than the full-cost rate. The table below shows ownership and nonfull-cost entitlements for landholders subject to the acreage limitation provisions:
