DRAINAGE BOARD

The Madison County Drainage Board meets the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays every month, in room 110, Commissioner's Court in the Madison County Government Center. Meetings are at 9:00AM. Please contact us if you need to be on the agenda.

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Indiana Code 36-9-27-4 creates a Drainage Board in each County consisting of either the County Commissioners, or four resident freeholders and one County Commissioner as members.  The Surveyor serves on the Drainage Board as an “Ex-Officio Member”, a non-voting position and technical advisor.

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The Drainage Board set standards for drainage infrastructure and reduce flooding problems in new developments and adjacent neighborhoods with design requirements.

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MAINTENANCE

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The Drainage Board manages the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of all regulated drains or proposed regulated drains in the county as required by State Law.  The Board and Surveyor have jurisdiction over regulated drains.  Regulated Drains are drains that have been established by either the Commissioners Court, Circuit Court, or Superior Court of each county prior to 1965 or the Drainage Board since 1966.  These drains are open ditched or tile drains or a combination of both.

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Indiana Drainage Code provides for a 75-foot easement from the top edge of each bank of a ditch and/or the centerline of tile.  It requires the Drainage Board’s approval of crossing the drain, or outlets into the drain.  The Indiana Code also gives the Drainage Board the right to remove obstructions within the drain.

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REGULATED DRAINS

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Indiana Drainage Code gives the Drainage Board the ability to create new Regulated Drains when petitioned by 10% of the landowners in the drainage watershed by acreage, landowners of 25% of the assessed valuation within the drainage watershed, the County Commissioners, the City or Town Council for road and street drainage, or a school board to drain school property.

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The Drainage Board shall have public hearings for the construction, reconstruction, or vacation of Regulated Drains.  Notice is sent by first class mail to landowners affected by the procedure.  Landowners within the drainage watershed have the right to object to the proposed project.  The Drainage Board has the discretionary authority to approve, modify, or dismiss the project based on those objections.  Landowners have the right to judicial review of the Drainage Board’s decision.

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PRIVATE DRAINS

Private drains are not the responsibility of the Drainage Board.  In 1966, the Indiana Legislature provided some relief for property owners that are adversely affected by obstructions in a private drain.  Included in Indiana Code 36-9-2027.4 is a process in which a landowner may petition the Drainage Board to investigate an obstruction in a private drain.  Payment for any work done must be paid by the landowners involved.