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1. What is a county ditch?

A county ditch is a drainage system managed by a County Drainage Authority or Joint County Drainage Authority. The county does not own the ditch. The landowners who benefit from the ditch own the drainage system. A county ditch can be an open ditch system, an underground tile system or a combination of open ditch and underground tile.

Road ditches are not county ditches. Road ditches are the responsibility of the road authority.

2. Can the general public hunt along or use a public ditch for recreational purposes?

No, a public ditch is an easement for drainage only. The land remains private property. Like all private property, you need to get the landowner’s permission before entering the property.

3. A county ditch is blocked or needs repair. What can be done to solve this problem?

The first step to solve the problem is to notify the county’s Drainage Management Coordinator.  After the Drainage Management Coordinator has reviewed the problem, a plan will be made to solve the problem.  Please call (507) 304-4251 to report the problem with the ditch.

4. I want to do some work in a county ditch. How do I get permission?

The first step is to notify the county's Drainage Management Coordinator. He will work with you to ensure proper policies and the state's drainage laws are followed.

5. Who pays for ditch improvements and repairs?

Property owners who are benefited by the ditch are the ones who pay for it. For county ditches, the county pays the contractor and assesses all costs back to the benefited property owners through a special assessment.

6. When is the “one rod” ditch buffer required on a county ditch?

All new ditches require a ditch buffer. Existing drainage systems are essentially grandfathered in, meaning they are allowed to continue without a one-rod buffer until the Drainage Authority orders a Re-determination of Benefits or a Determination of Benefits for an improvement is performed. Ditch buffers are required on all improvements.

Establishing ditch buffers is not required for most repairs. Some repairs, such as re-sloping, require viewers and a buffer must be established.

7. What is a ditch repair?

Repairs are not intended to significantly increase hydraulic efficiency or capacity of the ditch. The term "repair," means to restore all or a part of a drainage system as nearly as practicable to the same condition as originally constructed and subsequently improved. Open ditch repairs include minor work such as spraying for weeds and brush, removal of isolated silt deposits, bridge or culvert cleaning, removal of vegetation, debris or other obstructions, fixing isolated side slope damage due to sloughing, fixing damage to culverts and fixing or installing erosion control structures. Repairs may also involve more extensive cleaning of the ditch bottom of silt deposits to bring the grade line and bottom width to originally constructed or subsequently improved conditions. Repairs on tile lines include repair or replacement of underground tile as well as the tile intakes and outlets.

8. What is a ditch improvement?

An improvement project involves the enlarging, extending, straightening, or deepening of an established, previously constructed system. Generally an improvement project provides for the upgrading and enhancement of the existing system’s hydraulic capacity and drainage ability.  Improvements must go through a hearing process that includes a determination of benefits.