Title 46A — WATER MANAGEMENT

Dissolution of the water user district shall be completed upon resolution of the board of directors canvassing the vote and declaring that a majority of the qualified voters voting on the question have voted in favor of dissolution. A verified copy of the resolution shall be file…

In case of such dissolution, the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources shall cancel all applications for appropriation of water, and all rights of the water user district therein and thereunder shall thereupon cease and determine. Source: SL 1939, ch 291 , § 19; SDC Sup…

Nothing in this chapter deprives any municipality within the State of South Dakota, located either wholly or partially within or outside any water user district, of the exercise of any rights with which it may be invested by law to construct, acquire, operate, maintain, or dispos…

Nothing in this chapter repeals, limits, or in any way affects the provisions of chapters 46A-4 to 46A-7 , inclusive, relating to the organization and operation of irrigation districts. Nothing in this chapter limits in any way the powers and functions of irrigation districts org…

A water user district organized under this chapter which is not a participating unit of the South Dakota Retirement System on January 1, 1983, may elect to participate in the retirement system sponsored by the South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems. Source: SL 1983, ch 3…

The board of directors of any water user district may annually appoint a water master for the district subject to approval by the Water Management Board. Once approved, the board of directors may contract with the water master with regard to the terms and conditions of his employ…

In the petition, if directors are to be elected at large, the directors named shall be divided as nearly as possible into three equal groups, to be designated Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, respectively. In either case, the members of Group 1 shall hold office until their success…

The water master shall: (1) Enforce procedures for distribution of water by court decree; (2) Enforce priorities and rights pertaining to the use of water as established by statute or case law; (3) Administer the distribution of water obtained through any contract pursuant to § 4…

The board of directors may remove the water master for cause. The Water Management Board may withdraw approval of a water master and request the board of directors to remove any water master for cause. Source: SL 1990, ch 363 , § 3.

Any person aggrieved by any act or omission of any water master may appeal to the board of directors of the water user district, to the Water Management Board or to the circuit court in the county wherein the dispute arose. Source: SL 1990, ch 363 , § 4.

The provisions of this chapter do not abrogate or limit the rights, powers, duties, and functions of the State Water Management Board, but are supplementary thereto. Source: SL 1990, ch 363 , § 5.

A water user district may enroll in any authorized group health insurance plan, group dental insurance plan, or both, for the members of the board of directors of the district. The plan may provide for group health and dental insurance against the financial cost of hospital, surg…

The board may authorize a director, or an employee of the water user district whose responsibilities include approving, awarding, or administering a contract on behalf of the district, to be a party to a contract or derive a direct benefit from a contract with the district, if: (…

For purposes of § 46A-9-85 , a direct benefit from a contract is derived if the director or employee, the spouse of the director or employee, or any other person with whom the director or employee lives and commingles assets: (1) Has more than a five percent ownership interest in…

The petition shall be signed by twenty-five percent of the landowners or entrymen within the area constituting the proposed water user district, or by their duly authorized representatives. However, if the proposed district includes any portion of the area within a municipality, …

However, if land is sold under a contract for deed, which is of record in the office of the register of deeds or director of equalization, both the vendor and vendee shall be treated as landowners; (4) "Project," any one of the works defined in this section, or any combination of…

Ord. 21-3), § 14, eff. Apr. 19, 2021.

Terms used in this chapter and chapter 46A-11 , unless the context otherwise requires, mean: (1) "Board," a board of county commissioners, as established in chapter 7-8 ; (2) "Closed drain" or "blind drain," a man - made drain or drainage scheme utilizing pipes, tiles, or other m…

Any unit of local government may enter into joint powers agreements with the board and with each other in order to avoid overlapping drainage jurisdiction and to promote cooperation and continuity in drainage matters. Source: SL 1985, ch 362 , § 10.

The board of county commissioners shall at their next session, set a date, time, and location for a meeting of district landowners to conduct an election to determine if a drainage district shall be governed by three trustees and shall enter an order to that effect. The election …

The county auditor shall publish notice of the election. The notice shall give the time, place, and purpose of the election. The notice shall be published for two consecutive weeks in the official newspapers of each county. The last publication may not be less than ten days befor…

Before any election is held, the election board shall procure from the county auditor, auditors, or appropriate county official a certified copy of the record of the establishment of the district showing the lands of the district, the assessment and classification of each tract, …

Anyone who has acquired ownership of assessed lands since the latest certificate from the auditor may vote at any election if the person presents evidence of title to the election board for its inspection at the time the person demands the right to vote. Source: SL 1997, ch 256 ,…

A landowner or joint landowners who own a tract of land within the district assessed for benefits are entitled to one vote collectively. The vote of any person who is a minor or a protected person as defined by § 29A-5-102 , may be cast by the parent, conservator, or legal repres…

Any landowner or landowners entitled to vote may vote through an agent or proxy authorized to cast votes by a power of attorney signed and acknowledged by the landowner or landowners and filed before the vote is cast in the auditor's office of the county where the election is hel…

At the opening of the meeting, the superintendent shall state the purpose of the meeting and the manner in which the elections will be conducted. The first election conducted shall be to determine whether a board of three trustees should be elected to control and manage the distr…

When the voters vote by ballot to determine whether to form a board of trustees or on the election of trustees, a poll list shall be kept by the clerk of the meeting, on which shall be entered the name of each person whose vote is received. The ballot shall be delivered by the vo…

At the close of the election, the clerks shall proceed publicly to count the votes, which, when commenced, shall continue without adjournment or interruption until the count is completed. The count shall be conducted by taking one ballot at a time from the ballot box and counting…

The results from the initial election for trustees shall determine the length of term each trustee shall hold. The candidate with the most votes shall be elected for a three - year term, the candidate with the second highest vote total shall be elected for a two - year term and t…

Any county engaging in a drainage program may receive grants - in - aid from or enter into agreements with any department or agency of the government of the United States or the state to arrange for the receipt of federal or state funds in the interest of furthering a drainage pr…

After the first election of trustees, the trustees shall appoint a superintendent and two clerks to act as an election board in succeeding elections. The board of trustees may determine the amount of compensation for the election board for the services performed by them. Source: …

Succeeding annual trustee elections shall be held at 8:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month in which the initial trustee election was conducted. The date and time of the election may be changed to another date and time within that month upon majority vote of those present at …

Each trustee shall be a citizen of the United States, not less than eighteen years of age, and an owner of land in the district. Source: SL 1997, ch 256 , § 15.

If any vacancy occurs in the membership of the board of trustees between the annual elections, the remaining members of the board may fill the vacancy by appointing a person with the required qualifications. The appointed person shall qualify in the same manner and hold office un…

The compensation of the trustees and the clerk of the board shall be fixed at twenty - five dollars per day and necessary expenses, to be paid out of the funds of the drainage district for each day necessarily expended in the transaction of business of the district, but no person…

The board of trustees shall elect a chair and shall select some other landowner of the district as clerk of the board. The clerk shall serve at the pleasure of the board of trustees. Source: SL 1997, ch 256 , § 18.

The board of trustees may control, supervise, and manage the district. Subject to the legal controls for drainage management under § 46A-10A-20 , the board of trustees may, in conformity with any applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, ordinances, and regulations: (1) C…

All costs and expenses to discharge the powers and duties by §§ 46A-10A-98 to 46A-10A-123 , inclusive, including costs of elections, shall be assessed, levied, and collected under the provisions of chapter 46A-11 . A levy shall be upon certificate by the board of trustees to the …

Any assessment on real property for the purposes set forth in §§ 46A-10A-98 to 46A-10A-123 , inclusive or chapter 46A-11 is not subject to any real property tax freeze assessment under the provisions of chapter 10-6 or 10-6A . Source: SL 1997, ch 256 , § 21.

The tax shall be collected by the county treasurer as other taxes are collected in the county. The tax shall be deposited and kept in a separate fund to the credit of the district. The money may be expended only upon the order of the board of trustees signed by the chair and cler…

Any governing body of a municipality may contract with the board for drainage expertise and services to be provided by the county. Such contract may provide that the municipality shall pay fees as are agreed upon for the services performed. Source: SL 1985, ch 362 , § 12.

The board of trustees of any district may issue improvement certificates and drainage bonds under the same conditions as is provided by chapter 46A-11 for issuance by the board of county commissioners, except that in case of the issue of drainage bonds, the bonds shall be approve…

The board of trustees shall keep and maintain a written record of all their official acts and proceedings. The board of trustees shall, on or before January thirty - first of each year, file a financial report of the previous calendar year with the county auditor. When the Depart…

Any interested person aggrieved by any action taken by the board of trustees in §§ 46A-10A-98 to 46A-10A-123 , inclusive, may file a cause of action in circuit court in the county where the cause of action arose or may invoke mediation with the board of trustees. Source: SL 1997,…

Any decision of the board of trustees of a drainage district may be referred to a vote of the eligible voters of the district by the filing of a petition signed by at least five percent of the eligible voters of the district. The petition shall be filed with the district within n…

A contract between a governing body of a municipality and a board may provide for joint county - municipal drainage activities. Source: SL 1985, ch 362 , § 13.

The board of county commissioners shall provide the funds, equipment, and accommodations necessary for such drainage activity as the county undertakes. Source: SL 1985, ch 362 , § 14.

If a county is conducting or in good faith intends to conduct drainage activity within a reasonable time, or has held or is holding a hearing for the purpose of considering a drainage project, coordinated drainage area, drainage plan, or other official controls, the board, in ord…

A board or a county drainage commission, if established, may prepare, or cause to be prepared, a drainage plan for the county, including those municipalities within the county which have requested by resolution of the governing board of such municipality to be included. Any drain…

A drainage plan shall be for the purpose of enhancing and promoting physical, economic, and environmental management of the county; protecting the tax base; encouraging land utilization that will facilitate economical and adequate productivity of all types of land; lessening gove…