Before undertaking active management of the district the board shall prepare a management program. Upon completion of the management program the board shall transmit a copy to the chief engineer with a request for his or her approval. The chief engineer shall examine and study the management program and, if he or she finds that it is compatible with article 7 of chapter 82a of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and all acts amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto and any other state laws or policies, he or she shall approve it and notify the board of his or her action. When the management program is approved by the chief engineer, the board shall fix a time and place either within or conveniently near the district for a public hearing upon the management program. A notice of the hearing shall be given by one publication in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation within the district, at least twenty-eight (28) days prior to the date fixed for the hearing, setting forth the time and place of the hearing. The notice shall state that a copy of the management program is available for public inspection in the office of the secretary of the district. Any person desiring to be heard in the matter must file, in duplicate, with the board at its office at least five (5) days before the date of the hearing a written statement of his or her intent to appear at the hearing and the substance of the testimony he or she wishes to present. Upon receipt of any such statements, the board shall immediately transmit one copy of the statements to the chief engineer. The chief engineer or his or her duly appointed representative shall attend the hearing. At the hearing any person who has duly filed his or her written statement shall be heard and may present information in support of his or her position in the matter. After hearing and considering all relevant testimony and information, the board shall by resolution adopt, modify, or reject the management program. The board shall then notify the chief engineer of its action. If it is determined that the management program should be modified, any proposed changes approved by the board shall be incorporated in a modified management program which shall be submitted to the chief engineer for further consideration. The chief engineer shall review the modified management program and shall transmit a supplemental written report of the results of his or her study and investigation to the board, including his or her written approval or disapproval of the modified management program. If the modified management program is approved by the chief engineer, the board shall by resolution adopt it as the official management program of the district and notify the chief engineer of its action. The board shall periodically and at least once each year review the officially adopted management program. Following that review, they shall either reaffirm its adoption or propose that it be revised. If it is proposed that the management program be revised, the board shall follow the same procedure towards adoption of a revised management program as is prescribed above for the preparation, approval, and adoption of the original management program.
K.S.A. 82a-1029