Mississippi Code
Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners
§ 51-29-103. Procedure for districts to come under this chapter

Any district which has heretofore been organized, including swamp land districts, or which may hereafter be organized under other statutes, may become a district under the terms of this chapter as follows:
If a third of the landowners owning a majority of the acreage or a majority of the landowners owning a third of the acreage of real property within any such district shall petition the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, to constitute them a drainage district under the terms hereof, the clerk of the chancery court shall give notice of the application by two weeks' publication in some newspaper published and having a bona fide circulation in the county or counties in which the lands of said district lie, stating the time when said petition will be heard and the object of said petition. All owners of real property within the district shall have the right to appear and contest the said petition, or support the same. The chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, shall hear the evidence and shall either grant the petition or deny the same, as he may deem it most advantageous to the property owners of the district and to the public benefit. If he grants the petition, the said district shall have all the rights and powers and be subject to all the obligations and provisions provided by the terms of this chapter. If the majority of the landowners or the majority of the owners of the acreage therein petition for the adoption of this chapter, the court or chancellor must make an order declaring that such district shall henceforth be governed by the terms of this chapter, and shall appoint commissioners according to its terms, who shall carry into effect without delay the proposed drainage improvements.

Structure Mississippi Code

Mississippi Code

Title 51 - Waters, Water Resources, Water Districts, Drainage, and Flood Control

Chapter 29 - Drainage Districts with Local Commissioners

§ 51-29-1. Scope of chapter

§ 51-29-3. Definitions

§ 51-29-5. Creation of drainage districts

§ 51-29-7. Organization of district in two or more counties

§ 51-29-9. Hearing on engineer's report

§ 51-29-11. Presentation of petitions

§ 51-29-13. Order establishing district

§ 51-29-15. Commissioners appointed; vacancies; removal; quorum

§ 51-29-17. Terms of office and compensation

§ 51-29-19. Power and duties of commissioners

§ 51-29-21. Content of plans

§ 51-29-23. Payment of costs for abandoned improvements

§ 51-29-25. Costs for proceedings abandoned and afterwards resumed

§ 51-29-27. Plans and estimates of commissioners to be filed

§ 51-29-29. Preparation of assessment roll

§ 51-29-31. Notice of assessment to landowners

§ 51-29-33. Approved roll to be final assessment

§ 51-29-35. Condemnation proceedings

§ 51-29-37. Employment of counsel

§ 51-29-39. Appraisement by commissioners as alternate method to acquire land and damage compensation

§ 51-29-41. Hearing of appraisement and objections

§ 51-29-43. Right of use during appeal

§ 51-29-45. Court to make order for assessments to cover cost of improvement

§ 51-29-47. Board of supervisors to make a tax levy

§ 51-29-49. Copy of levy to tax collector

§ 51-29-51. Collection of assessments

§ 51-29-53. Duties of treasurer

§ 51-29-55. Duties of tax collector

§ 51-29-57. New tax levy in case of deficiency

§ 51-29-61. Contractors to give bond

§ 51-29-63. Commissioners may borrow money

§ 51-29-65. Bonds to be registered

§ 51-29-67. Negotiable evidences of debt to contractor

§ 51-29-69. Commissioners not liable for damages

§ 51-29-71. Procedure to alter plans

§ 51-29-73. Landowners may build ditches to connect with public ditch

§ 51-29-75. Compensation for connecting with district drainage system

§ 51-29-77. Ditches outside of district

§ 51-29-79. Maintenance of system

§ 51-29-81. Taxes collected; delinquent lands; settlements

§ 51-29-83. Drainage taxes erroneously collected

§ 51-29-85. Certificates received in lieu of cash

§ 51-29-87. Disposition of certificate

§ 51-29-89. Bonds to be a lien on land

§ 51-29-91. Entire district revenues and realty pledged to secure bonds

§ 51-29-93. Error in names not to invalidate assessments

§ 51-29-95. Ditches may cross highways and railroads

§ 51-29-97. Financial statement and audit

§ 51-29-99. Penalty for obstructing or damaging drains

§ 51-29-101. Contractors may pass over private lands

§ 51-29-103. Procedure for districts to come under this chapter

§ 51-29-105. Construction of chapter

§ 51-29-107. Special commissioner may hear and determine cases under this chapter

§ 51-29-109. Expenses of chancellor to be paid by district

§ 51-29-111. Method to apportion benefits when land is divided into smaller units of ownership

§ 51-29-113. Clerk of district to certify order to tax collector

§ 51-29-115. Formation of subdrainage districts

§ 51-29-117. Manner of appeal

§ 51-29-119. Additional powers given to certain drainage districts

§ 51-29-121. Assessments to be apportioned when land lies in certain districts

§ 51-29-123. Certain districts may own rights of way and dispose of same

§ 51-29-125. Certain districts may acquire rights of way through existing districts

§ 51-29-127. Districts acquiring certain lands to assume obligations

§ 51-29-129. Law with reference to disposition of waters

§ 51-29-131. Enlargement of boundaries of drainage districts

§ 51-29-133. Notice and hearing of proposed extension

§ 51-29-135. Extension of district on majority petition

§ 51-29-137. Rights and powers of extended district

§ 51-29-139. Extension may include lands of other drainage districts

§ 51-29-141. Separate accounts kept for extended districts

§ 51-29-143. Provisions applicable to extended districts

§ 51-29-145. Consolidation of districts

§ 51-29-147. Petition and notice of consolidation

§ 51-29-149. Consolidation hearing and decree

§ 51-29-151. Commissioners of consolidated district

§ 51-29-153. Transfer of powers of former commissioners

§ 51-29-155. Lien of outstanding obligations not impaired by consolidation

§ 51-29-157. Powers and authority of consolidated district

§ 51-29-159. Mineral leases

§ 51-29-161. Reforestation procedure

§ 51-29-163. Hearing on reforestation petition

§ 51-29-165. Disposition of proceeds of reforestation release