Law No. 938 I on amelioration.

The law regulates legal relationships between state bodies, natural persons and legal entities in the sphere of amelioration (art. 1). This law covers the following spheres: a) land reclamation; b) amelioration activities; c) flood (and other disasters) control measures on agricultural lands; d) amelioration associations (art. 3). Main objectives of the law are: a) in order to obtain high and sustainable yields from ameliorated lands, define the principles and norms of legal aspects of designing, construction, rehabilitation, operation and maintenance of complex land reclamation, provide assistance in coordination of activities of state bodies, natural and legal persons in this sphere; b) to accelerate the priority development of land reclamation, rehabilitation of amelioration and pasture watering schemes, hydraulic structures, implementation of reforms in the sphere of amelioration and water economy; c) to promote establishment and effective functioning of amelioration associations (art. 4). The tariffs are imposed on water delivered to on farm networks and other water users through state irrigation, double regulation and pasture watering schemes of general use (purpose) and on providing drainage services per hectare (art. 9). The objectives of amelioration associations’ activities are: a) entering of the maximum number of land possessors (within Association service territory) into the membership of an Association. Provision of priority services to the members of an Association and contract basis service - to the non-members. b) receiving and estimation of the water delivered to the water division point from State Irrigation and/or Pasture Watering Schemes, efficient distribution (and estimation) of water between the land possessors; levying service fees and settlement of accounts with the organizations delivering water. c) improving (re-equipment/rehabilitation) amelioration condition of the infrastructure located within Association Service Territory, construction, maintenance and protection; d) execution of amelioration activities in order to preserve and improve amelioration condition of the existing lands and high intensity use of lands (art. 12). The state owned irrigation water reservoirs will be used by water users primarily for irrigation purposes keeping all the necessary safety conditions for their operation. Natural and legal persons who fish or obtain aquatic animals and plants or generate electric power in state owned irrigation water reservoirs should agree the conditions of water use with primary water users (art. 14).