An Act granting the consent of Congress to the negotiation by the States of Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota of certain compacts with respect to the use of waters common to two or more of said States
PL 83-191 (S.1197), enacted 08/05/1953

67 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 191-AUG. 5, 1963 
365 
this amendment which is in effect at the time of any such transfer of 
title to the lands covered by the lease, permit, or contract shall not be 
terminated or otherwise affected by such transfer of title; but all 
right, title, and interest of the United States under such lease, permit, 
or contract, including any authority to modify its terms and condi-
tions that may have been retained by the United States, shall vest in 
the State to which title to the lands covered by the lease, permit, or 
contract is transferred. 
"The Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to make all 
necessary rules and regulations in harmony with the provisions and 
purposes of this Act for the purpose of carrying the same into effect, 
including such provisions as he may deem equitable to assure compen-
sation of surface lessees for damages to crops or improvements on, 
or impairment of the surface utilization of, the reserved lands by the 
holder of a mineral lease, or contract issued under this Act: Provided^ 
That such damages, if any, may be subject to judicial review." 
Approved August 5, 1963. 
Public Law 191 
CHAPTER 324 
AN ACT 
August 5.1953 
Granting the consent of Congress to the negotiation by the States of Nebraska, 
IS.11973 
Wyoming, and South Daljota of certain compacts with respect to the use of 
waters common to two or more of said States. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assernoled. That the consent of 
Nebraska, wyo-
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ming, and South 
(Jongress is hereby given— 
Dakota. 
(1) to the States of Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota to 
negotiate a compact providing for an equitable division and 
apportionment among the said States of the waters of the 
Niobrara River and its tributaries; 
(2) to the States of Nebraska and South Dakota to negotiate 
a compact providing for an equitable division and apportionment 
between said States of the waters of Ponca Creek and its tribu-
taries; and 
(3) to the States of Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota 
or any two of them to negotiate a compact or compacts relating 
to the extraction and use of ground waters from sources common 
to the compacting States. 
No compact, the negotiation of which is authorized by this Act, shall 
be binding or obligatory upon any of the parties thereto unless the 
negotiations shall have been participated in by a suitable person or 
persons who shall be appointed by the President to represent the 
United States and shall make report to the Congress on the proceed-
ings and on the compact and until that compact shall have been rati-
fied by the legislatures of each of the States concerned and approved 
by the Congress. 
Nothing contained in any compact negotiated under 
this Act shall be construed as affecting the obligations of the United 
States of America to Indian tribes. The authority given by this Act 
shall, unless otherwise continued by the Congress, expire five years 
from the date of its approval. 
Approved August 8, 1953. 
Water compacts. 
Expiration of 
authority. 
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