This association has historically been strengthened considerably by federal irrigation subsidies. With the passage of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, the U.S. Congress increased the number of acres that a legal entity, such as a partnership or corporation, could irrigate with water from federal projects from 160 acres to 960 owned or leased acres. However, owned land above this limit could not be irrigated with federal water, and the act required irrigators to pay the full supply cost for water delivered to leased land over the limit.