Newlands Reclamation Act

The Reclamation Act (also known as the Newlands Reclamation Act or National Reclamation Act) of 1902, funded irrigation projects for the arid lands of the American West. It was authored by Representative Francis G. Newlands of Nevada. (See Bureau of Reclamation history site @ http://www.usbr.gov/history/borhist.html)

Related Topics:
American West - Francis G. Newlands

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The act at first covered only 16 of the western states since Texas had no federal lands. Texas was added later by a special act passed in 1906. The act set aside money from sales of semi-arid public lands for the construction and maintenance of irrigation projects. The newly irrigated land would be sold and money would be put into a revolving fund that supported more such projects. This led to the eventual damming of nearly every major western river. Under the act, the Secretary of the Interior created the United States Reclamation Service within the United States Geological Survey to administer the program. In 1907 the Service became a separate organization within the Department of the Interior and was renamed the United States Bureau of Reclamation.

Related Topics:
Texas - Public land - Irrigation - United States Geological Survey - Department of the Interior - United States Bureau of Reclamation

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