Florida Statutes
Chapter 298 - Drainage and Water Control
298.66 - Obstruction of Public Drainage Canals, etc., Prohibited; Damages; Penalties.


(1) A person may not willfully, or otherwise, obstruct any public canal, drain, ditch or watercourse or damage or destroy any public drainage works constructed in or maintained by any district.
(2) Any person who willfully obstructs any public canal, drain, ditch, or watercourse or damages or destroys any public drainage works constructed in or maintained by any district shall be liable to any person injured thereby for the full amount of the injury occasioned to any land or crops or other property by reason of such misconduct and shall be liable to the district constructing the drainage work for double the cost of removing such obstruction or repairing such damage.
(3) Any person who willfully, or otherwise, obstructs any public canal, drain, ditch, or watercourse, impedes or obstructs the flow of water therein, or damages or destroys any public drainage works constructed in or maintained by any district commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
History.—s. 5, ch. 6190, 1911; s. 52, ch. 6458, 1913; RGS 5293, 5294; ss. 1-3, ch. 10110, 1925; CGL 1518, 1519, 7413-7415; s. 163, ch. 71-136; s. 28, ch. 79-5; s. 48, ch. 2010-205.

Structure Florida Statutes

Florida Statutes

Title XXI - Drainage

Chapter 298 - Drainage and Water Control

298.001 - Districts Designated as “Water Control” Districts.

298.005 - Definitions.

298.01 - Formation of Water Control District.

298.11 - Landowners’ Meetings; Election of Board of Supervisors; Duties of Department of Environmental Protection.

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.

298.17 - Appointment and Duties of Treasurer of District; Appointment of Deputies; Bond of Treasurer; Audit of Books; Disbursements by Warrant; Form of Warrant.

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.

298.24 - Bridge Construction.

298.25 - Type of Bridges Over Drains in Large Counties.

298.26 - District Engineer to Make Annual Reports to Supervisors; Approval of Reports; Water Control Plan.

298.28 - Watercourses to Be Connected With Drainage of District; Connecting Drains After Completion of Plan of Drainage.

298.301 - District Water Control Plan Adoption; District Boundary Modification; Plan Amendment; Notice Forms; Objections; Hearings; Assessments.

298.305 - Assessing Land for Development; Apportionment of Assessment.

298.329 - When Works Insufficient, Supervisors Have Power to Make a New or Amended Plan; Additional Levy; Issuance of Bonds; Procedure.

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.

298.353 - Unit Development; Powers of Board of Supervisors to Designate Units of District; Financing Assessments for Each Unit.

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.

298.54 - Maintenance Tax.

298.56 - Bonds Issued Secured by Lien on Lands Benefited; Assessment and Collection of Taxes May Be Enforced.

298.57 - Landowner in District May Construct Drains Across Land of Intervening Landowner; Proceedings.

298.59 - Supervisors Authorized to Obtain Consent of United States.

298.60 - Unpaid Warrants Issued by District to Draw Interest.

298.61 - Sureties on Bonds; Penalties Payable to District; Bonds Cover Defaults of Specified Persons.

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.

298.74 - Drainage of Lakes.

298.76 - Special or Local Legislation; Effect.

298.77 - Readjustment of Assessments; Procedure, Notice, Hearings.

298.78 - Lien; Release.