46A-14-4. Conservation purposes supporting establishment.

A watershed district may be established for any of the following conservation purposes:

(1)    Control or allocation of damage by floods by flood prevention structures including levees;

(2)    Improvement of stream channels;

(3)    Reclaiming or filling wet and overflowed lands;

(4)    Providing water supply for irrigation;

(5)    Regulating the flow and conserving the water of streams;

(6)    Diverting or changing watercourses in whole or in part;

(7)    Providing and conserving water supply for domestic, industrial, recreational, and other public use;

(8)    Providing for sanitation and public health and regulating the use of streams, ditches, or watercourses for the disposition of waste;

(9)    Relocate, extend, replace, modify, consolidate, or abandon in whole or in part, drainage systems within a watershed district and to operate and maintain drainage systems;

(10)    Imposition of preventive or remedial measures for the control or alleviation of land and soil erosion and siltation of watercourses or bodies of water affected by erosion;

(11)    Protection or enhancement of the water quality in watercourses or water basins;

(12)    Protection of groundwater; and

(13)    Improvement, restoration, and maintenance of lakes, streams, and wetlands.

Source: SL 1957, ch 492, § 4; SL 1959, ch 452, § 2; SDC Supp 1960, § 61.1504; SL 1965, ch 303, § 2; SDCL § 46-24-4; SL 1989, ch 389, § 1; SL 2013, ch 228, § 7.

46A-14-4.1. Functions and duties of commission.

The State Conservation Commission shall perform the following functions and duties with respect to watershed projects:

(1)    Review proposed applications for watershed planning assistance under the Federal Watershed and Flood Prevention Act (P.L. 566, 83rd Congress), as amended to January 1, 2013;

(2)    Develop policies and procedures for processing such applications in accordance with state law and policies;

(3)    Conduct field examination of watersheds with all state and federal agencies and other groups having an interest in development of watersheds;

(4)    Determine physical feasibility of proposals for watershed projects;

(5)    Recommend priorities for watershed planning assistance under federal P. L. 566;

(6)    Make recommendations concerning all applications for planning assistance under federal P. L. 566, to the Board of Water and Natural Resources for consideration in official actions on behalf of the State of South Dakota;

(7)    Assist, counsel, and advise conservation district supervisors in the organization of watershed districts under this chapter;

(8)    Assist conservation districts within limits of appropriations and personnel with installation and maintenance of the land treatment phase of watershed projects.

The Board of Water and Natural Resources is hereby designated the state agency to act on behalf of the State of South Dakota with respect to watershed projects in order to fulfill the provisions of the Federal Watershed and Flood Prevention Act (P.L. 566, 83rd Congress), as amended to January 1, 2013.

Source: SL 2013, ch 228, § 8.