SECTIONS 56040-56042 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 56040-56042

56040. The objects and purposes of a county drainage district shall
be to provide for:
(a) The control of storm and other waste waters of or within said
district, including waters which arise outside said district and
which flow or drain into or through the said district;
(b) The protection from damage by storm or waste waters of private
property and of public highways and other public property within
said district;
(c) The conservation of storm and waste waters for beneficial and
useful purposes by spreading, storing, retaining or causing such
waters, or any part thereof, to percolate into the soil within or
without said district or the saving and conservation in any manner of
any and all of such waters.

56041. A county drainage district shall have the power:
(a) To sue and be sued in its own name;
(b) To adopt a seal;
(c) To take by grant, purchase, gift, lease, devise or otherwise
and to hold, use and enjoy real or personal property of every kind
within or without the district necessary to or convenient for the
full exercise of its powers;
(d) To exercise the power of eminent domain to the full extent
necessary to or convenient for the full exercise of its powers and to
carry out the provisions of this act; provided, that if the exercise
of such power requires the alteration or relocation of any
facilities devoted to a public use, the cost of such alteration or
relocation shall be borne by the district;
(e) To make and accept all contracts, deeds, releases and
documents of any kind which will be necessary or proper to the
exercise of any of the powers of the district;
(f) To direct the payment of all lawful claims and demands against
the district;
(g) To levy and collect taxes as hereinafter provided;
(h) To issue bonds as hereinafter provided and provide for their
payment;
(i) To employ such engineers, experts, surveyors, counsel and
other persons as are needed to carry into effect any powers of the
district;
(j) To acquire, construct, complete, operate and maintain a
surface or underground drainage system or systems or combination
thereof and such ditches, drains, conduits, pipelines, system of
ditches, drains, conduits or pipelines or combinations thereof as may
be determined necessary to accomplish the objects and purposes of
the district;
(k) Borrow money and incur indebtedness and guarantee the
performance of its legal or contractual obligations whether
heretofore or hereafter incurred; and also refund or retire any
public indebtedness or lien that may exist against the district or
any property therein which shall have arisen out of the transaction
of the affairs of the district;
(l) To sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any property of the
district or any interest therein when it is no longer required for
the purposes of the district or when its use may be permitted without
interfering with its use by the district;
(m) To do any other act to accomplish the objects and purposes of
the district.

56042. All ordinances of a county drainage district shall be
adopted by the board of directors of the district, and shall be
certified to, recorded, and published in the same manner as
ordinances of a county. The initiative and referendum powers are
hereby granted to the electors of a county drainage district to be
exercised in relation to the enactment or rejection of ordinances of
a county drainage district in accordance with the procedure
established by the laws of this state for the exercise of those
powers in relation to counties.