Section 2-1908 - Conservation districts; powersA conservation district organized under the provisions of K.S.A. 2-1901 et seq., and amendments thereto, shall constitute a governmental subdivision of this state and a public body corporate and politic, exercising public powers, and such district, and the supervisors thereof, shall have the following powers, in addition to others granted in other sections of this act:
(a) To conduct surveys, investigations and research relating to the character of soil erosion, soil and grassland health, flood damage, water quality and the preventive and control measures needed, to publish the results of such surveys, investigations, or research, and to disseminate information concerning such preventive and control measures. In order to avoid duplication of research activities, no district shall initiate any research program except in cooperation with the government of this state or any of its agencies or with the United States or any of its agencies;(b) to conduct demonstrational projects within the district on lands, owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the occupier of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands, in order to demonstrate by example the means, methods and measures by which soil and soil resources may be conserved, and soil erosion in the form of soil blowing and soil washing may be prevented and controlled; and to demonstrate by example, the means, methods and measures by which water and water resources may be conserved, developed, used and disposed of to alleviate drought, to maintain and improve water quality and to reduce flooding and impaired drainage;(c) to carry out preventive and control measures within the district including, but not limited to, engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, changes in use of land and the measures listed in subsection C of K.S.A. 2-1902, and amendments thereto, on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district upon obtaining the consent of the occupier of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands;(d) to cooperate or enter into agreements with, and within the limitations of appropriations duly made available to it by law, to furnish financial or other aid to, any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any occupier of lands within the district, in the carrying on of erosion-control flood prevention, soil and grassland health initiatives, water quality and water management operations within the district, subject to such conditions as the supervisors may deem necessary to advance the purposes of this act;(e) to obtain options upon and to acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise or otherwise, any property, real or personal, or rights or interest therein; to maintain, administer and improve any properties acquired, to receive income from such properties and to expend such income in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this act; and to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any of its property or interests therein in furtherance of the purposes and the provisions of this act;(f) to make available, on such terms as it shall prescribe, to land occupiers within the district, agricultural and engineering machinery and equipment, fertilizer, seeds and seedlings, and such other material or equipment, as will assist such land occupiers to carry on operations upon their lands for the conservation of soil resources, soil and grassland health, protection of water quality and for the prevention and control of soil erosion;(g) to develop comprehensive plans for the conservation of soil and water resources and for the control and prevention of soil erosion, flood damages, impaired drainage, the effects of drought within the district and the maintenance and improvement of water quality, with such plans specifying in such detail as may be possible, the acts, procedures, performances and avoidances that are necessary or desirable for the effectuation of such plans, including the specification of engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, cropping programs, tillage practices and changes in use of land, and to publish such plans and information and bring them to the attention of occupiers of lands within the district;(h) to take over, by purchase, lease, gift or donation, and to administer, any soil-conservation, erosion-control, soil and grassland health, erosion-prevention, flood prevention, water quality or water management project located within its boundaries undertaken by the United States or any of its agencies, or by this state or any of its agencies subject to the authority of the authorizing state or federal agency; to manage, as agent of the United States or any of its agencies, or of this state or any of its agencies, any soil-conservation, erosion-control, or erosion-prevention, flood prevention or water management project within its boundaries; to act for the district or as agent for the United States, or any of its agencies, or for this state or any of its agencies, in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance, or administration of any soil-conservation, erosion-control, soil and grassland health, erosion-prevention, flood prevention, water quality or water management project within its boundaries; to accept donations, gifts and contributions in money, services, materials or otherwise, from the United States or any of its agencies, or from this state or any of its agencies, and from persons, firms, corporations or associations, and to use or expend such moneys, services, materials or other contributions in carrying on its operations;(i) to sue and be sued in the name of the district; to have a seal, which seal shall be judicially noticed; to have perpetual succession unless terminated as hereinafter provided; to make and execute contracts and other instruments, necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers; to make, and from time to time amend and repeal, rules and regulations not inconsistent with this act, to carry into effect its purposes and powers;(j) as a condition to the extending of any benefits under this act, to or the performance of work upon, any lands not owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, the supervisors may require contributions in money, services, materials or otherwise to any operations conferring such benefits, and may require land occupiers to enter into and perform such agreements or covenants as to the permanent use of such lands as will tend to prevent or control erosion thereon;(k) no provisions with respect to the acquisition, operation or disposition of property by other public bodies shall be applicable to a district organized hereunder unless the legislature shall specifically so state;(l) the supervisors of any district shall not contract debts or obligations in the name of the district beyond the current appropriation made available to the district by the division or federal grants or other financial sources;(m) to accept and expend funds donated to the district for purposes of providing at least 20% cost-share for the purchase of an eligible water right from the holder of the water right under the provisions of K.S.A. 2-1915, and amendments thereto; and(n) to control invasive species within the district.Amended by L. 2021, ch. 74,§ 7, eff. 5/6/2021.L. 1937, ch. 5, § 8; L. 1955, ch. 7, § 2; L. 1979, ch. 6, § 3; L. 1988, ch. 396, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 37, § 2; L. 2004, ch. 96, § 3; July 1.