22-2722. POWERS OF DISTRICTS AND SUPERVISORS. A soil conservation district organized under the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a governmental subdivision of this state, and a public body corporate and politic, exercising public powers, and such district, and the supervisors thereof, shall have the following powers, in addition to others granted in other sections of this chapter:

(1) To conduct surveys, investigations, and research relating to the character of soil erosion, floodwater and sediment damages, for the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water and the prevention and control measures, and works of improvement needed, to publish results of such surveys, investigations, or research, and to disseminate information concerning such preventive and control measures and works of improvement; provided, however, that in order to avoid duplication of research activities, no district shall initiate any research program except in cooperation with the government of this state or any of its agencies or with the United States or any of its agencies;

(2) To conduct demonstrational projects within the district on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the owner of such lands or the necessary rights of interests in such lands, in order to demonstrate by example the means, methods, and measures by which soil and soil resources may be conserved, and soil erosion in the form of soil-blowing and soil-washing may be prevented and controlled; works of improvement for flood prevention and the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water may be carried out;

(3) To carry out preventive and control measures and works of improvement for flood prevention or the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water within the districts including, but not limited to, engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, changes in use of land, and other appropriate best management practices, on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the owner of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands;

(4) To cooperate, or enter into agreements with, and within the limits of appropriations duly made available to it by law, to furnish financial or other aid, to any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any owner of lands within the district, in carrying on erosion control and prevention operations and works of improvement for flood prevention and the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water within the district, subject to such conditions as the supervisors may deem necessary to advance the purpose of this chapter;

(5) To obtain options upon and to acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, any property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein and all such property shall be exempt from taxation for state, county and municipal purposes; to maintain, administer, and improve any properties acquired, to receive income from such properties and to expend such income in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter; to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any of its property or interests therein in furtherance of the purposes and provisions of this chapter;

(6) To make available, on such terms as it shall prescribe, to landowners within the district, agricultural and engineering machinery or equipment, as will assist such landowners to carry on operations upon their lands for the conservation of soil resources and for the prevention and control of soil erosion and for flood prevention or the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water;

(7) To construct, improve, operate and maintain such structures as may be necessary or convenient for the performance of any of the operations authorized in this chapter;

(8) To develop comprehensive plans for the conservation of soil resources and for the control and prevention of soil erosion and for flood prevention or the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water within the district, which plans shall specify in such detail as may be possible, the acts, procedures, performances, and avoidances which are necessary or desirable for the effectuation of such plans, including the specifications of engineering operations, method of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, cropping programs, tillage practices, and changes in use of land, and to publish such plans and information and bring them to the attention of occupiers of lands within the district;

(9) To take over, by purchase, lease, or otherwise, and to administer, any soil conservation, flood prevention, erosion control, or erosion prevention project, or combination thereof, located within its boundaries undertaken by the United States or any of its agencies, or by this state or any of its agencies; to manage, as agent of the United States or any of its agencies; or of this state or any of its agencies, any soil conservation, flood prevention, erosion control, or erosion prevention project, or combination thereof, within its boundaries; to act as agent for the United States, or any of its agencies, or for this state or any of its agencies, in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation, or administration of any soil-conservation, flood-prevention, erosion-control, or erosion-prevention project, or combination thereof, within its boundaries; to accept donations, gifts, and contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise, from the United States or any of its agencies, or from this state or any of its agencies, and use or expend such moneys, services, material, or other contributions in carrying on its operations;

(10) To sue and be sued in the name of the district; to have a seal, which seal shall be judicially noticed; to have perpetual succession unless terminated as hereinafter provided; to make and execute contracts and other instruments, necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers; to make, and from time to time amend and repeal, rules not inconsistent with this chapter, to carry into effect its purposes and powers;

(11) As a condition to the extending of any benefits under this chapter to, or the performance of work upon, any lands not owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, the supervisors may require contributions in moneys, services, materials, or otherwise to any operations conferring such benefits, and may require landowners to enter into and perform such agreements or covenants as to permanent use of such lands as will tend to prevent or control erosion and prevent floodwater and sediment damages thereon;

(12) No provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation, or disposition of property by other public bodies shall be applicable to a district organized hereunder unless the legislature shall specifically so state.

History:

[22-2722, added 1957, ch. 218, sec. 8, p. 476; am. 2003, ch. 107, sec. 5, p. 341.]