DRAINAGE 109 



Survey and Report. After a petition has been made for 

 the formation of a drainage district, the law places the matter 

 of a survey and report of the district in the hands of a board 

 or an officer of the law to order the survey and report by an 

 engineer. This report should be comprehensive in extent, 

 and should furnish sufficient data concerning the district to 

 enable the board or the officer of the law to determine whether 

 or not it will be of benefit to the district as a whole. 



The report in this case should include an estimate of the 

 cost of the work to be performed in the district, covering the 

 actual cost of the construction of the drains and the neces- 

 sary work in connection therewith, such as construction of 

 bridges, etc. It should include an estimate of damages to 

 all property owners which may be incurred from the con- 

 struction of the drains; also estimates of the cost of the 

 engineering, of fees of the commissioners, and of all legal 

 expenses arising from the suits which may be carried to court. 



Damages. Provision is usually made for a commission 

 of disinterested men to appraise the damages which may come 

 to the individual property owners through the construction 

 of the drainage work. Sometimes this board of commis- 

 sioners is also called upon to levy the assessment of benefits. 



Assessment of Benefits. It is usually provided by law 

 that the total cost of the drainage district shall be assessed 

 according to the benefits derived. These benefits may be 

 either specific or general ; specific in that the value of the land 

 may be increased, and general in that the health of the com- 

 munity is improved by the drainage district. 



There are many things involved in levying an assessment, 

 and these are more or less subject to state laws. Copies of 

 drainage laws may be obtained by applying to the secretary 

 of state in any state, and these laws may be made the subject 

 of an interesting study. 



