43 USC § 423h - Delivery of water to excess lands upon death of spouse

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t43/s423h"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "43 USC § 423h - Delivery of water to excess lands upon death of spouse"
title_number: 43
title_name: "PUBLIC LANDS"
section_number: "423h"
section_name: "Delivery of water to excess lands upon death of spouse"
chapter_number: 12
chapter_name: "RECLAMATION AND IRRIGATION OF LANDS BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "ADMINISTRATION OF EXISTING PROJECTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 86–684, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 732.)"
---


# § 423h. Delivery of water to excess lands upon death of spouse

section 423e of this titleJune 17, 190232 Stat. 388section 423e of this title*Provided*

Where the death of a husband or wife causes lands in private ownership to become excess lands, as that term is used in , and those lands had theretofore been eligible to receive water from a project under the Federal reclamation laws (Act of  (), and Acts amendatory thereto) without execution of a recordable contract under , the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to furnish water to them, without requiring execution of such a contract, so long as they remain in the ownership of the surviving spouse: , That in the event of the remarriage of the surviving spouse, such lands shall be governed by applicable law without regard to the provisions of this section.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 86–684, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 732.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Act of , referred to in text, is popularly known as the Reclamation Act, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.