Notwithstanding the existence of any reservation of right-of-way to the United States for canals under section 945 of this title , or any State statute, the Secretary of the Interior shall pay just compensation, including severance damages, to the owners of private land utilized for ditches or canals in connection with any reclamation project, or any unit or any division of a reclamation project, provided the construction of said ditches or canals commenced after January 1, 1961 , and such compensation shall be paid notwithstanding the execution of any agreements or any judgments entered in any condemnation proceeding, prior to September 2, 1964 . ( Pub. L. 88–561, § 1 , Sept. 2, 1964 , 78 Stat. 808 ; Pub. L. 89–624 , Oct. 4, 1966 , 80 Stat. 873 .) Editorial Notes Amendments 1966— Pub. L. 89–624 inserted “to the United States” and “or any State statute,”. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries Effective Date of 1966 Amendment Pub. L. 88–561, § 3 , as added by Pub. L. 89–624 , Oct. 4, 1966 , 80 Stat. 874 , provided that: “The amendment made by this Act [enacting section 945b of this title and amending this section] shall apply to any condemnation action pending in any district court of the United States on the date of enactment of this Act [ Oct. 4, 1966 ] and to any such action instituted after that date.”