(a) The sale, exchange, or other disposition occurring in a taxable year to which the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 applies, of excess lands lying within an irrigation project or division in order to conform to acreage limitations of the Federal reclamation laws effective with respect to such project or division shall be treated as an involuntary conversion to which the provisions of section 1033 and the regulations thereunder shall be applicable. The term excess lands means irrigable lands within an irrigation project or division held by one owner in excess of the amount of irrigable land held by such owner entitled to receive water under the Federal reclamation laws applicable to such owner in such project or division. Such excess lands may be either (1) lands receiving no water from the project or division, or (2) lands receiving water only because the owner thereof has executed a valid recordable contract agreeing to sell such lands under terms and conditions satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior.

(b) If a disposition in order to conform to the acreage limitation provisions of Federal reclamation laws includes property other than excess lands (as, for example, where the excess lands alone do not constitute a marketable parcel) the provisions of section 1033(d) shall apply only to the part of the disposition that relates to excess lands.

(c) The provisions of §1.1033(a)-2 shall be applicable in the case of dispositions treated as involuntary conversions under this section. The details in connection with such a disposition required to be reported under paragraph (c)(2) of §1.1033(a)-2 shall include the authority whereby the lands disposed of are considered excess lands, as defined in this section, and a statement that such disposition is not part of a plan contemplating the disposition of all or any nonexcess land within the irrigation project or division.

(d) The term involuntary conversion, where it appears in subtitle A of the Code or the regulations thereunder, includes dispositions of excess property within irrigation projects described in this section. (See, e.g., section 1231 and the regulations thereunder.)

[T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11910, Nov. 26, 1960; 25 FR 14021, Dec. 31, 1960. Redesignated and amended by T.D. 7625, 44 FR 31013, May 30, 1979]