North Carolina General Statutes
Article 2 - Dispositions.
§ 146-5 - Reservation to the State.

146-5. Reservation to the State.
In any sale of the vacant and unappropriated lands or swamplands by the State, the following powers may be expressly reserved to the State, to be exercised according to law:
(1) The State may make any reasonable and expedient regulations respecting the repair of the canals which have been cut by the State, or the enlargement of such canals.
(2) The State may impose taxes on the lands benefited by those canals for their repair, and they shall not be closed.
(3) The navigation of the canals shall be free to all persons, subject to a right in the State to impose tolls.
(4) All landowners on the canals may drain into them, subject only to such general regulations as now are or hereafter may be made by law in such cases.
(5) The roads along the banks of the canals shall be public roads. (1872-3, c. 118; Code, s. 2534; Rev., s. 4050; C.S., s. 7622; G.S., s. 146-95; 1959, c. 683, s. 1.)