(1) May employ persons and purchase machinery to directly supervise, construct, maintain, and operate the works and improvements described in the water control plan, or may contract with others for the supervision, construction, maintenance, and operation of such works and improvements either as a whole or in part. Contracts for the construction of district facilities must be awarded under s. 255.20 and applicable general law.
(2) May clean out, straighten, open up, widen, or change the course and flow, alter or deepen any canal, ditch, drain, river, watercourse, or natural stream; and concentrate, divert, or divide the flow of water in or out of said district; construct and maintain main and lateral ditches, canals, levees, dikes, dams, sluices, revetments, reservoirs, holding basins, floodways, pumping stations, and siphons, and may connect same, or any of them, with any canals, drains, ditches, levees, or other works that may have been heretofore, or which may be hereafter constructed by the Department of Environmental Protection or jurisdictional water management district, and with any natural stream, lake, or watercourse in or adjacent to said district.
(3) May build and construct any other works and improvements deemed necessary to preserve and maintain the works in or out of said district; acquire, construct, operate, maintain, use, purchase, sell, lease, convey, or transfer real or personal property, including pumping stations, pumping machinery, motive equipment, electric lines and all appurtenant or auxiliary machines, devices, or equipment.
(4) May contract for the purchase, construction, operation, maintenance, use, sale, conveyance and transfer of the said pumping stations, machinery, motive equipment, electric lines and appurtenant equipment, including the purchase of electric power and energy for the operation of the same.
(5) May construct or enlarge, or cause to be constructed or enlarged, any and all bridges that may be needed in or out of said district, across any drain, ditch, canal, floodway, holding basin, excavation, public highway, railroad right-of-way, track, grade, fill or cut; construct roadways over levees and embankments; construct any and all of said works and improvements across, through or over any public highway, railroad right-of-way, track, grade, fill or cut, in or out of said district; remove any fence, building or other improvements, in or out of said district.
(6) Shall have the right to hold, control and acquire by donation or purchase and if need be, condemn any land, easement, railroad right-of-way, sluice, reservoir, holding basin or franchise, in or out of said district, for right-of-way, holding basin for any of the purposes herein provided, or for material to be used in constructing and maintaining said works and improvements for implementation of the district water control plan.
(7) May condemn or acquire, by purchase or grant, for the use of the district, any land or property within or without said district not acquired or condemned by the court as identified in the engineer’s report, and shall follow the procedure set out in chapter 73. Such powers to condemn or acquire any land or property within or without the district shall also be available for implementing requirements imposed on those districts subject to s. 373.4592.
(8) May adopt resolutions and policies to implement the purposes of this chapter.
(9) May assess and collect reasonable fees for the connection to and use of the works of the district.
(10) May implement and authorize the comprehensive water control activities, including flood protection, water quantity management, and water quality protection and improvement, described in the water control plan.
(11) May construct and operate facilities for the purpose of controlling and preventing the spread or introduction of agricultural pests and diseases.
(12) May construct, manage, or authorize construction and management of resource-based recreational facilities that may include greenways, trails, and associated facilities.
History.—s. 26, ch. 6458, 1913; s. 1, ch. 7897, 1919; RGS 1123; CGL 1476; s. 1, ch. 14714, 1931; ss. 25, 27, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 11, ch. 72-291; s. 1, ch. 85-154; s. 9, ch. 94-115; s. 124, ch. 94-356; s. 6, ch. 97-40; s. 5, ch. 98-329; s. 7, ch. 2000-308; s. 9, ch. 2001-275; s. 1, ch. 2005-238.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 298 - Drainage and Water Control
298.001 - Districts Designated as “Water Control” Districts.
298.01 - Formation of Water Control District.
298.12 - Annual Election of Supervisors; Term of Office; Vacancy.
298.13 - Supervisor’s Oath of Office.
298.14 - Organization of Board; Annual Reports to Landowners; Compensation of Members of Board.
298.15 - Record of Proceedings.
298.16 - Appointment of District Engineer; Engineer’s Duties.
298.18 - Supervisors to Employ Attorney for District; Duty of Attorney.
298.19 - Appointment and Duties of Superintendent of Plant and Operations and Overseers.
298.20 - Supervisors to Fix Compensation for Work and Employees.
298.21 - Supervisors May Remove Officers and Employees.
298.22 - Powers of Supervisors.
298.225 - Water Control Plan; Plan Development and Amendment.
298.23 - Supervisors Authorized to Take Land for Rights-of-Way, etc.; Payment.
298.25 - Type of Bridges Over Drains in Large Counties.
298.305 - Assessing Land for Development; Apportionment of Assessment.
298.333 - Assessments and Costs; a Lien on Land Against Which Levied.
298.341 - When Unpaid Assessments Delinquent; Penalty.
298.345 - Enforcement of Non-Ad Valorem Assessments.
298.349 - Uniform Initial Acreage Assessment for Payment of Expenses.
298.36 - Lands Belonging to State Assessed; Drainage Tax Record.
298.365 - Collection of Annual Installment Tax; Lien.
298.366 - Delinquent Taxes; Penalties.
298.401 - Property Appraisers and Tax Collectors; Compensation; Characterization of Services.
298.41 - Taxes and Costs a Lien on Land Against Which Taxes Levied; Subdistricts.
298.465 - District Taxes; Delinquent; Discounts.
298.47 - Supervisors May Issue Bonds.
298.48 - Sale of Bonds and Disposition of Proceeds.
298.49 - Interest Upon Matured Bonds.
298.50 - Levy of Tax to Pay Bonds, Sinking Fund.
298.51 - Defaults, Receivership for District.
298.52 - Refunding and Extending Bonds.
298.59 - Supervisors Authorized to Obtain Consent of United States.
298.60 - Unpaid Warrants Issued by District to Draw Interest.
298.62 - Lands May Be Acquired for Rights-of-Way and Other Purposes.
298.63 - Bonds to Secure Loans From Secretary of Interior.
298.66 - Obstruction of Public Drainage Canals, etc., Prohibited; Damages; Penalties.
298.70 - Department of Environmental Protection Authorized to Borrow Money.
298.71 - Department May Issue Notes; Suit by Holder; Judgment.
298.72 - Department May Use Proceeds of Drainage Tax to Pay Loans.
298.73 - Matured Written Obligations Receivable in Payment of Taxes.
298.76 - Special or Local Legislation; Effect.
298.77 - Readjustment of Assessments; Procedure, Notice, Hearings.