CHAPTER XIV. 

 DRAINAGE DISTRICTS, 



A DRAINAGE district is an organization of the owners 

 of land for the purpose of constructing and maintaining 

 adequate drainage outlets for individual use in which 

 the expense of the work is shared by each in proportion 

 to the benefits derived* 



The boundary of a district should in all cases, if pos- 

 sible, include an entire water-shed, so that when an 

 outlet is secured and drainage provided for, it will be 

 complete in itself as respects its drainage. The forma- 

 tion and management of districts is provided for in 

 many States by laws which direct in detail the steps 

 which should be taken, and give methods of procedure 

 which must be followed closely in order to make the 

 proceedings legal. 



The principles now fairly well recognized in the 

 execution of all public land drainage where individual 

 property is affected and which must bear the expense 

 of the improvement may be stated as follows : 



The plan for the work should be complete and pro- 

 vide each landowner an adequate outlet which he 

 may use without being accountable to neighboring 

 property. Each property should be assessed for the 

 first cost and subsequent maintenance of the work in 

 proportion to the benefit it will derive from the same, 



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