Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-151 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 29-151
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-151
Status: in_force

In the event of such consolidation as provided in Sections 51-29-145 through 51-29-157 , the court or chancellor in vacation immediately shall proceed to name said consolidated district, and to appoint to govern the same a board of commissioners to consist of five members, three of whom shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and who shall possess the same qualifications now required by law for drainage commissioners. Two of such commissioners shall be appointed for a term of two years, two for terms of four years, and one for a term of six years, and all shall serve until their successors are appointed. Upon the expiration of the initial term of any commissioner, his successor shall serve for a term of six years and until his successor is appointed. The commissioners so appointed shall take and subscribe the oath required by law, and enter into bond for the faithful performance of their duties in a penalty to be fixed by the court or chancellor, to be approved by the clerk of said court.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-127 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 31-127
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-127
Status: in_force

The drainage commissioners and the treasurer of the main drainage district shall keep a separate account of all funds and expenses and payments of a subdrainage district, so that at any time the account will show the exact financial condition of such subdrainage district, both as to receipts and disbursements.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-9 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 31-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-9
Status: in_force

In every county in this state in which there is now a drainage district and in which a drainage district may hereafter be created or be proposed to be created under this chapter, the board of supervisors of such county shall select three county drainage commissioners for such county. The term of office of each commissioner shall be six years and until his successor is selected and has qualified, with said terms expiring at two-year intervals to insure the selection of one new commissioner every two years. Any vacancy in office of a county drainage commissioner in any county may be filled by the board of supervisors at any regular meeting of such board, which board is given the authority to fill all unexpired terms of any commissioner in the county.

Every resident citizen of any county, being the owner of land in said county and over 25 years of age, of good reputation, and of sound mind and judgment shall be eligible to hold the office of county drainage commissioner in the county of his residence.

If any commissioner shall refuse or neglect to discharge the duties imposed upon him by virtue of this chapter, or shall neglect or refuse to qualify as such commissioner after being selected for such office, the other two commissioners shall proceed to exercise the duties of their office and the business of said drainage district until the next meeting of said board of supervisors, when the office of the party refusing to perform or qualify shall be filled by the selection of another party in his stead.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-163 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 9-163
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-163
Status: in_force

Nothing in this article shall be construed to violate any provision of the federal or state constitutions, and all acts done under this article shall be done in such manner as will conform thereto, whether herein expressly provided or not. Where any procedure hereunder may be held by any court to be violative of either of such constitutions, the district shall have the power by resolution to provide an alternative procedure conformable with such constitutions. If any provision of this article shall be invalid, such fact shall not affect the creation of the district or the validity of any other provision of this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-155 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 13-155
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-155
Status: in_force

Nothing in this article shall be construed to violate any provision of the federal or state constitutions, and all acts done under this article shall be done in such manner as will conform thereto, whether herein expressly provided or not. Where any procedure hereunder may be held by any court to be violative of either of such constitutions, the district shall have the power by resolution to provide any alternative procedure conformable with such constitutions. If any provisions of this article shall be invalid, such fact shall not affect the creation of the district or the validity of any other provision of this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-71 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 31 / Section 31-71
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-71
Status: in_force

After the organization of any drainage district under this chapter, and after the confirmation of the assessment as in this chapter provided, and after laying out a system of main drains for said drainage district, the said commissioners shall advertise for bids for the construction of said ditches by publishing a notice for three weeks in some newspaper in the county in which such district is organized, stating the time when and place where they will receive bids for the construction of such work. The time fixed for receiving and opening said bids shall not be less than twenty-two days from the time of the first publication. Said notice shall specify the kind and nature of the work to be done, the amount thereof as estimated by the engineer, and in what manner payment thereof will be made. They shall meet at the time and place designated in said notice and open said bids, and said contracts shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder. The said commissioners shall have the right to reject any and all bids if they deem that the same are too high, and may adjourn said letting to a future time and continue said advertisement until that time.

The commissioners shall take and file a certificate of publication of such notice with the clerk; and upon the acceptance of any bid for the construction of any work, they shall require said bidder to enter into contract with them for the faithful performance of said work according to the plans, specifications, profile, and estimates of the engineer, and require said contractor to enter into bonds for the faithful performance of said work within the time and in the manner specified in said contract.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-161 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 29-161
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-161
Status: in_force

The owner or owners of any tract or tracts of land situated within the boundaries of any drainage district that embraces land in more than one county of the state and was organized under this chapter may, in event the United States government, any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any corporation organized under an Act of the Congress of the United States for the purpose of engaging in any reforestation activity accepts a proposal of said owner or owners for the sale thereof, file a petition in the chancery court of the county in which the drainage district was organized, describing therein the tract or tracts of land in said district on which the proposal of said owner or owners for sale as aforesaid has been accepted as said tract or tracts are described in the assessment roll of the district, stating the total amount of assessments of benefits against each said tract and also the total amount thereof remaining unpaid at the time of the filing of such petition, and praying an acquittance of said tract or tracts from all outstanding indebtedness and assessments of benefits of said district whatever and a release thereof from the boundaries of said district on payment of the total amount of assessment of benefits of said district against said tract or tracts remaining unpaid on the filing of such petition. Thereupon the clerk of such chancery court shall issue notices, addressed to all the landowners of said district and to all holders of the outstanding indebtedness of said district, of a hearing on such petition at the next succeeding term of said court or in vacation at a time and place to be fixed by the chancellor, which notice shall be published in a weekly newspaper having a bona fide circulation in each county, any part of which is included within the boundaries of such district, for two successive issues.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-9 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 8-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-9
Status: in_force

After the public hearing required by Section 51-8-7 and upon full consideration of all matters and facts presented at such hearing, each such local governmental unit shall make a finding that the public convenience and necessity requires the creation of the district and that the creation of the district is economically sound and feasible.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-43 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 17 / Section 31-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-43
Status: in_force

All moneys that have been advanced or expended in good faith by parties interested in the organization of any district, necessary for the preliminary work in organization, such as surveys, attorneys' fees, and incidentals thereto, may be repaid by the drainage commissioners as follows: If the district is organized, to be paid as a part of the costs of said district; but if the organization of the district is denied, the court or chancellor in vacation may make such orders and decrees as may appear to be equitable and just to all parties interested towards providing for the payment of such sums, together with such sums as the commissioners have expended or contracted for in good faith after the reference of the petition to them, and to this end may assess an acreage tax against such lands in such district which were owned by the persons signing the original petition praying that the district might be organized. After the petition for the organization of a district is filed and referred to the commissioners, they are authorized and empowered to issue certificates of the district to raise funds to have all necessary surveys made and to pay all necessary expenses and costs incurred in the preliminary work prior to the organization thereof, which certificates shall bear interest at the rate of 6% from their dates, but no certificate shall be made payable for a longer period than two years from its date. These certificates shall be paid as soon as the district is organized and sufficient funds come into the hands of the commissioners to pay same. Where any district shall fail to be organized solely by reason of the fact that a sufficient number of petitioners signing the original petition withdrew therefrom so as to leave an insufficient number of petitioners or an insufficient acreage represented by the petitioners remaining, and the chancery court or chancellor shall so state in his decree, the entire costs of the proceedings shall be decreed against the lands of such petitioners so withdrawing, on an acreage pro rata basis.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-106 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 3-106
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-106
Status: repealed

Sections 51-3-101 through 51-3-105 shall stand repealed after July 1, 2009.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-105 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 15-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-105
Status: repealed

(1) All powers of the district shall be exercised by a board of directors to be composed of the following:

(a) [Repealed]

(b) From and after January 9, 1996, the Governor shall appoint three (3) members of the Board of Directors of the Pat Harrison Waterway District from the district at large. No more than one (1) appointment may be made by the Governor from any one (1) county in the district. All initial appointments made pursuant to this paragraph shall be made no later than February 1, 1996, and no person appointed under this paragraph shall be an elected official or a county employee. All appointments made pursuant to this paragraph shall be for terms of four (4) years each or until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

(c) From and after January 9, 1996, the board of supervisors of each county in the Pat Harrison Waterway District shall have an appointment to the board of directors of the district as follows: the boards of supervisors of the counties of Clarke, Covington and Forrest shall each appoint a member from their respective counties for an initial term of one (1) year; the boards of supervisors of the counties of George, Greene, Jackson and Jasper shall each appoint a member from their respective counties for an initial term of two (2) years; the boards of supervisors of the counties of Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale and Newton shall each appoint a member from their respective counties for an initial term of three (3) years; and the boards of supervisors of the counties of Perry, Smith, Stone and Wayne shall each appoint a member from their respective counties for an initial term of four (4) years. All initial appointments made pursuant to this paragraph shall be made no later than February 1, 1996, and no person appointed under this paragraph shall be an elected official or a county employee. All appointments made pursuant to this paragraph after the initial appointments shall be for terms of four (4) years each or until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

(d) The directors appointed pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this subsection shall not discontinue any litigation pending on January 9, 1996, with respect to monetary payments owed to the district by any member county, and such directors shall pursue such litigation to a conclusion.

(2) Each director shall take and subscribe to the general oath of office required by Section 268 of the Constitution of the State of Mississippi before a chancery clerk, that he will faithfully discharge the duties of the office, which oath shall be filed with the clerk and by him preserved.

(3) Each director shall receive a per diem in the amount established in Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for attending each day's meeting of the board and for each day spent in attending to the necessary business of the district and, in addition, he may receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses thus incurred, upon express authorization of the board.

(4) The board of directors shall annually elect from its number a president and a vice president of the district, and such other officers as in the judgment of the board are necessary. The president shall be the chief executive officer of the district and the presiding officer of the board, and shall have the same right to vote as any other director. The vice president shall perform all duties and exercise all powers conferred by this article upon the president when the president is absent or fails or declines to act, except the president's right to vote. The board shall also appoint a secretary and a treasurer, who may or may not be members of the board, and it may combine those offices. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, the treasurer shall give bond in the sum of not less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) as set by the board of directors, and each director may be required to give bond in the sum of not less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) with sureties qualified to do business in this state, and the premium on such bonds shall be an expense of the district. The condition of each bond shall be that the treasurer or director will faithfully perform all duties of his office and account for all money or other assets which shall come into his custody as treasurer or director of the district. In lieu of the bonds required by this subsection, the board may authorize that the district purchase an equivalent amount of errors and omissions insurance for the treasurer and directors.

(5) Each director shall meet with the board of supervisors of the county from which he is appointed at least twice a year at reasonable times established by the board of supervisors.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-143 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 9-143
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-143
Status: in_force

At the discretion of the board of directors of the district any bonds provided for in Section 51-9-133 may be further secured by a trust agreement between the board of directors and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having powers of a trust company within or without the state. Any such trust agreement or any resolution providing for the issuance of such bonds may contain such provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as are reasonable and proper and not in violation of law. The trust agreement may contain provision for the issuance of additional bonds for any of the purposes authorized by this article, which shall be secured by the revenues pledged thereunder for such bonds to the extent provided therein. The trust agreement may include provisions to the effect that if there is any default in the payment of principal or interest on any of said bonds, any court having jurisdiction of the action may appoint a receiver to administer the properties and facilities of the district described in the trust agreement, on behalf of the district, including authority to sell or make contracts for the sale of any services, facilities, or commodities of the district or to renew such contracts, subject to the approval of the court appointing said receiver; and with power to provide for the payment of such bonds outstanding, or the payment of operating expenses, and to apply the income and revenues to the payment of said bonds and interest thereon in accordance with the resolution of the board of directors authorizing the issuance of such bonds and said trust agreement. The fee for the services of any corporate trustee shall not exceed the normal charges for acting as paying agent plus any additional amount or amounts allowed by the court as the reasonable value of services rendered by the corporate trustee upon default in the payment of principal and interest on the bonds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-189 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 9-189
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-189
Status: in_force

This act is for the purpose of authorizing the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District to construct, maintain and operate a water treatment plant and regional water distribution system to ensure an adequate and sanitary water supply for the Jackson metropolitan area. This act may be cited as the “Metropolitan Area Water Supply Act”.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-103 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 8 / Section 13-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-103
Status: in_force

The Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District may hereafter be organized in this state under the provisions of this article, in the manner hereinafter provided for. This water management district shall be an agency of the state and a body politic and corporate.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-21.5 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 4-21.5
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-21.5
Status: in_force

In accordance with Section 51-4-7 , Red Creek from Mississippi Highway 26 in Stone County to its confluence with Black Creek in Jackson County is designated as eligible for nomination to the State Scenic Streams Stewardship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-21 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 7-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-21
Status: in_force

If the original plan was made only as to a part of the area within the master water management district, plans for any subsequent projects or works for the remaining area or any part thereof shall be submitted to the chancery court for approval in the manner provided herein, and all provisions and procedures of Sections 51-7-15 through 51-7-21 shall be applicable thereto, except that disapproval of such partial plans shall not terminate the organization of the district or the terms of office of the commissioners thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-325 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 35-325
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-325
Status: in_force

Before issuing any revenue bonds hereunder, the board of directors of the district shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to so issue, stating the amount of bonds proposed to be issued, the purpose for which the bonds are to be issued, and the date upon which the governing body proposes to direct the issuance of such bonds. Such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in at least one (1) newspaper published in the district. The first publication of such resolution shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such resolution for the issuance of the bonds and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. If no newspaper is published in such district, then such notice shall be given by publishing the resolution for the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation in the district, and, in addition, by posting a copy of such resolution for at least twenty-one (21) days next preceding the date fixed therein at three (3) public places in the district. If twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors living or owning property in the district shall file a written protest against the issuance of such bonds on or before the date specified in such resolution, then an election on the question of the issuance of such bonds shall be called and held as herein provided. If no such protest be filed, then such bonds may be issued without an election at any time within a period of two (2) years after the date specified in the above-mentioned resolution. However, the board of directors of the district, in its discretion, may nevertheless call an election on the question of the issuance of the bonds, in which event it shall not be necessary to publish the resolution declaring its intention to issue bonds as herein provided.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-149 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 29-149
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-149
Status: in_force

At said hearing, the court or chancellor in vacation, as the case may be, shall hear the written protests and objections against the proposed consolidation of said districts, if any be filed prior to the date set for said hearing; and unless, prior to said date of hearing, a majority of the landowners of said districts proposed to be consolidated, owning half or more of the combined land of said districts, shall have filed their written protests or objections against said proposed consolidation, shall enter a final decree, which shall have the force and effect of a judgment, consolidating said districts into a single drainage district embracing the combined territory of all of said several districts. The consolidated drainage district so formed shall have all of the power and authority of a drainage district organized under the provisions of this chapter, and shall have full, complete, and exclusive jurisdiction over such combined territory and of the complete and integrated systems of drainage of the said districts so consolidated. Any person aggrieved by said decree may appeal to the supreme court within twenty days after the date thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-7 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 31-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-7
Status: in_force

All drainage districts of the state heretofore organized or that may be hereafter organized, except as otherwise provided in Chapters 29 and 33 of this title, shall severally exercise their respective powers and be managed by three county drainage commissioners of the county in which the organization of the district was had and by the chancery court or chancellor in vacation of such county, as hereinafter provided in this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-1 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-1
Status: in_force

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the creation of master water management districts for the carrying out in an orderly manner of works of improvement for the purposes of drainage, prevention of floodwater damage, or the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water, including the impoundment, diversion, flowage, and distribution of waters for recreation, beautification, welfare, and other beneficial use as defined in Sections 51-3-1 through 51-3-53 . The authority herein granted to master water management districts shall be limited to plans for works of improvement developed and carried out in cooperation with the secretary of agriculture under the provisions of Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended, or projects for any of the purposes provided for by this chapter which may be developed and carried out by or in cooperation with any agency or agencies of the United States government under other laws of the United States.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-69 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 31-69
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-69
Status: in_force

In case the drainage district shall issue bonds for any part of the money levied for the purpose of the district as hereinabove authorized, said bonds may be sold upon the market to the best advantage but shall not be sold for less than par value, unless a sale below par be approved by the chancellor and the commissioners. The whole amount realized from the sale of such bonds shall be deposited in the treasury of said district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-15 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 4-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-15
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall administer this chapter and may promulgate regulations for the specific powers granted under this chapter. In the process of administering the Scenic Streams Stewardship Program, the department shall consider, protect and ensure protection of the rights of private ownership and of the voluntary participants in the Scenic Streams Stewardship Programs.

(2) The department may enter into agreements with local, state and federal agencies, and private landowners, for the mutual management of a scenic stream. An agency which has administrative jurisdiction over lands or interests in land along a state scenic stream must assist the department to implement the policies and practices of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-143 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 29-143
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-143
Status: in_force

All the provisions of this chapter shall apply to the organization and operation of extended existing drainage districts, as authorized by the provisions of Sections 51-29-131 through 51-29-143 , in so far as the same are or can be made applicable.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-23.1 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 4-23.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-23.1
Status: in_force

In accordance with Section 51-4-9 , the Tangipahoa River in Pike County beginning at U.S. Highway 51 and extending to the Mississippi-Louisiana state line, which was designated as eligible for nomination to the scenic streams stewardship program under Section 51-4-21.1 , is designated as a state scenic stream and is included in the State Scenic Streams Stewardship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-15 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 31-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-15
Status: in_force

A majority of the commissioners shall constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of a majority of their number in any matter within their duties and authority under this chapter shall be sufficient to bind the said board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-55 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 8 / Section 8-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-55
Status: in_force

The board of commissioners of any district created pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall have the authority to enter into cooperative agreements with the state or federal government, or both; to obtain financial assistance in the form of loans or grants as may be available from the state or federal government, or both; and to execute and deliver at private sale notes or bonds as evidence of such indebtedness in the form and subject to the terms and conditions as may be imposed by the state or federal government, or both; and to pledge the income and revenues of the district, or the income and revenues from any part of the area embraced in the district, in payment thereof. It is the purpose and intention of this section to authorize districts to do any and all things necessary to secure the financial aid or cooperation of the state or federal government, or both, in the planning, construction, maintenance or operation of project facilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-31 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 41 / Section 41-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-31
Status: in_force

(1) The water authority may at any time, and from time to time, issue refunding bonds for the purpose of refunding the principal of and interest, if any, on any bonds of the water authority previously issued under this chapter and then outstanding, whether or not the principal and interest have matured at the time of the refunding under this chapter, and for the payment of any expenses incurred in connection with the refunding and any premium necessary to be paid in order to redeem or retire the bonds to be refunded.

(2) The proceeds derived from the sale of any refunding bonds shall be used only for the purposes for which the refunding bonds were authorized to be issued.

(3) Any such refunding may be effected either by sale of the refunding bonds and the application of the proceeds thereof by immediate application or by escrow deposit, with the right to invest monies in the escrow deposit until needed for the redemption or by exchange of the refunding bonds for the bonds or interest coupons to be refunded thereby. However, the holders of any bonds so to be refunded shall not be compelled without their consent to surrender their bonds for payment or exchange before the date on which they may be paid or redeemed by the water authority under their respective provisions.

(4) Any refunding bonds of the water authority shall be payable solely from the revenues out of which the bonds to be refunded were payable or from those other sources or other revenues that might be identified in the indenture.

(5) All provisions of this chapter pertaining to bonds of the water authority that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall, to the extent applicable, also apply to refunding bonds issued by the water authority.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-123 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 13-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-123
Status: in_force

The board of directors of the district is hereby authorized and empowered to borrow money or issue bonds of the district for the purpose of paying the costs of acquiring, owning, constructing, operating, repairing, and maintaining the projects and works specified herein, including related facilities and including all financing and financial advisory charges, interest during construction, engineering, architectural, legal, and other expenses incidental to and necessary for the foregoing, or for the carrying out of any power conferred by this article. Said board of directors is authorized and empowered to borrow money and issue bonds at such times and in such amounts as shall be provided for by resolution of the said board of directors, not to exceed the limitation prescribed in Section 51-13-127 . All such bonds so issued by said district shall be secured solely by a pledge of the avails of the two mills ad valorem tax levy provided for in Section 51-13-121 or so much thereof as may be necessary therefor, and of the net revenues as hereinafter defined or so much thereof as may be necessary therefor. Such bonds shall not constitute general obligations of the State of Mississippi or of the counties comprising said district, and such bonds shall not be secured by a pledge of the full faith, credit, and resources of said state or of said counties. Bonds of the district shall not be included in computing any present or future debt limit of any county in such district under any present or future law. “Revenues” as used in this article shall mean all charges, rentals, tolls, rates, gifts, grants, tax proceeds, moneys, and all other funds coming into the possession of the district by virtue of the provisions of this article, except the proceeds from the sale of bonds issued hereunder, and except the avails of the two mill ad valorem tax levy provided for in Section 51-13-121 . “Net revenues” as used in this article shall mean the revenues after payment of costs and expenses of operation and maintenance of the project and related facilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-55 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 31-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-55
Status: in_force

The commissioners shall also, as soon as said petition to organize said district has been referred to them by the court, proceed to procure the right of way for the main ditch or ditches of said district, as well as the right of way for any laterals, drains, or levees that may be decided upon, by agreements with the landowners over or through whose lands the same is to be constructed. They shall take releases of rights of way for the construction of such ditch or ditches from the landowners and file same with the clerk, who shall record them. If the commissioners shall not be able to agree with any landowner as to the amount of damages such owner should receive for the right of way over which such ditch or other improvements or work shall be constructed, the commissioners shall appraise the said lands needed for said purposes and proceed as directed in Section 51-31-57 .

Should it be necessary for the successful prosecution of the work for an outlet or outlets to be obtained outside of the boundaries of the district, then the commissioners are authorized to obtain the same by contract with the interested parties or by eminent domain proceedings, on the approval of the chancery court or chancellor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-341 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 35 / Section 35-341
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-341
Status: in_force

The district may borrow funds for a period of not to exceed three years and may renew and extend said loans from time to time, from any city, municipality, county, state, the United States of America, or any of its agencies or departments, or from any other source to pay the preliminary expenses of organizing the district or for carrying out any of the purposes of this article, including engineering services, attorneys fees and expenses, and other organization and administration expenses, on such terms of repayment as the board of directors shall determine; and any municipality or county in which any part of the district shall lie may advance or loan funds to said district for such purposes. Any such municipality or county making such loan or advance is authorized and empowered to borrow money for a period not to exceed three years from the date of such borrowing for the purpose of making such loan or advance. The board of directors is hereby authorized to repay any such advances from the proceeds of any bonds issued under the provisions of this article. In the event any said loan or advance is not paid at maturity thereof, the district is authorized to levy a tax on the lands of the district under the provisions of this article for the repayment thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-1-11 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 1-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-1-11
Status: in_force

If any person rafting or floating timber or logs in a stream shall permit damage by such logs or timber to be done a bridge built at public expense, he shall be liable therefor; and the damages may be recovered by suit against him, and the timber or logs causing the damage may be seized and sold therefor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-89 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 31-89
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-89
Status: in_force

If in the organization of any drainage district and thereafter in the construction of ditches, drains, or other improvements, it shall be necessary to cross under or through any railroad or the right of way thereof, the same may be accomplished in the following manner: Upon filing of the report of the commissioners as to assessments and benefits and damages, they shall make a special report showing the proposed plans, manner, and character of the work as proposed in passing through such right of way, together with an estimate of the costs of same, including all damages that will be sustained by the railroad by virtue of the construction of the proposed work; and upon the hearing of such commissioner's report, it shall be the duty of said railroad company to appear and show cause why said report should not be confirmed, as other parties interested are required to appear and on the same notice. In such showing it shall be the duty of the railroad company to file with the court, on or before the time set for the hearing, its estimate of the costs of the proposed work, including all damage that will be sustained by it by doing the proposed work. The court or chancellor in vacation shall determine the amount of such costs and damages to the railroad, and said finding shall be final and conclusive adjudication of such matters, unless appealed from in the manner provided for appeals under this chapter. The prosecution of an appeal shall not prevent the drainage commissioners constructing the work as proposed through the railroad right of way, whenever in their discretion it is necessary to do said work. Before beginning the construction of such work through such right of way, the drainage commissioners shall pay to the railroad company, or the chancery clerk for it, the amount of damages adjudicated against the district in the decree appealed from.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-161 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 9-161
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-161
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination that the overflow and inundation of sixteenth section lands or in lieu lands shall not constitute legal waste of such lands. The district shall pay a reasonable rental for the use of such lands to be overflowed, to be determined as provided by law in such cases. Any sixteenth section lands that have been flooded shall be reforested before this project shall ever be abandoned.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-141 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 9-141
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-141
Status: in_force

All bonds issued pursuant to this article shall be validated as now provided by law by Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11, Mississippi Code of 1972 . The services of the state's bond attorney may be employed in the preparation of such bond resolutions, forms, or proceedings as may be necessary, for which he shall be paid a reasonable fee. Such validation proceedings shall be instituted in the chancery court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, but notice of such validation proceedings shall be published at least two times in a newspaper of general circulation and published in each of the counties comprising the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, the first publication of which in each case shall be made at least ten days preceding the date set for the validation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-125 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 9-125
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-125
Status: in_force

The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District is authorized to establish or otherwise provide for public parks and recreation facilities and for the preservation of fish and wildlife and to acquire land otherwise than by condemnation except as provided in subsection (f) of Section 51-9-121 , for such purposes, within the project area.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-141 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 29-141
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-141
Status: in_force

Separate accounts shall be kept by the treasurer and depositories for such extended districts, so as to show receipts and disbursements from and on account of the land embraced in the district as originally formed, and also from the land embraced in the territory added to such districts.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-33 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 17 / Section 31-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-33
Status: in_force

As soon as may be after such petition shall be referred to said commissioners, or within such time as the court or chancellor may direct, the commissioners shall meet and go upon said lands and examine the same, and the lands over which the work is proposed to be constructed, and determine: first, the starting point, route, and termini of the proposed work, the location and size of the main ditch to be constructed in said drainage district, which in their opinion will successfully drain the said lands, and whether the drainage of the lands in such proposed drainage district is possible or not, provided that any ditch already constructed in such proposed drainage district may be used as a “main”, or part of a main ditch, if found expedient and sufficient for the purposes of the district; second, the probable cost of same, including expenses and court costs; third, what land will be injured or damaged by the proposed work and the probable aggregate amount of damages such lands will sustain by reason of the laying out and construction of such ditch or ditches; fourth, what lands will be benefited by the construction of the proposed work, and whether the aggregate amount of benefits will equal or exceed the cost of the construction of such work. In the examination of such district and determination of the questions for said commissioners to determine, the said commissioners are authorized and empowered to employ an engineer to go with them upon the lands of said district and examine the same, make a map and profile thereof, and an estimate of the size and depth of the ditch or ditches required for main outlets for the drains of said lands, and the probable cost, and a profile thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-15 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 4-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-15
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall administer this chapter and may promulgate regulations for the specific powers granted under this chapter. In the process of administering the Scenic Streams Stewardship Program, the department shall consider, protect and ensure protection of the rights of private ownership and of the voluntary participants in the Scenic Streams Stewardship Programs.

(2) The department may enter into agreements with local, state and federal agencies, and private landowners, for the mutual management of a scenic stream. An agency which has administrative jurisdiction over lands or interests in land along a state scenic stream must assist the department to implement the policies and practices of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-141 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 13-141
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-141
Status: in_force

(1) The board of directors shall designate one or more qualified state depositories within the district to serve as depositories for the funds of the district, and all funds of the district other than funds required by any trust agreement to be deposited, from time to time, with the trustee or any paying agent for outstanding bonds of the district, shall be deposited in such depository or depositories.

(2) Before designating a depository or depositories, the board of directors shall issue a notice stating the time and place the board will meet for such purpose and inviting the qualified state depositories in the district to submit applications to be designated depositories. The term of service for depositories shall be prescribed by the board. Such notice shall be published one (1) time in a newspaper or newspapers published in the district and specified by the board.

(3) At the time mentioned in the notice, the board shall consider the applications and the management and condition of the depositories filing them, and shall designate as depositories the qualified state depository or depositories which offer the most favorable terms and conditions for the handling of the funds of the district and which the board finds have proper management and are in condition to warrant handling of district funds, and in the manner as provided under the chapter on depositories. Any such designated depository shall be eligible to hold funds of the district to the extent that it is qualified as a depository for state funds. Membership on the board of directors of an officer or director of a depository shall not disqualify such depository from being designated as a depository.

(4) If no applications acceptable to the board are received by the time stated in the notice, the board shall designate some qualified state depository or depositories within the district upon such terms and conditions as it may find advantageous to the district. Any such designated depository shall be eligible to hold funds of the district to the extent that it is qualified as a depository for state funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-101 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 13-101
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-101
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative determination, that the waterways and surface waters of the state are among its basic resources, that the overflow and surface waters of the state have not heretofore been conserved to realize their full beneficial use, that the utilization, development, conservation, and regulation of such waters are necessary to insure an adequate flood control program, sanitary water supply at all times, to promote the balanced economic development of the state, and to aid in conservation and development of state forests, irrigation of lands needing irrigation, navigation, and pollution abatement. It is further determined and declared that the preservation, conservation, storage, and regulation of the waters of the Tombigbee River, its tributaries, and its overflow waters for domestic, municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and manufacturing purposes, for recreational uses, flood control, timber development, irrigation, navigation, and pollution abatement are, as a matter of public policy, for the general welfare of the entire people of the state.

The creation of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District is determined to be necessary and essential to the accomplishment of the aforesaid purposes, and this article operates on a subject in which the state at large is interested. All the terms and provisions of this article are to be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes herein set forth, this being a remedial law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-23.2 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 4-23.2
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-23.2
Status: in_force

Magee's Creek in Walthall County from the confluence of Varnell Creek to the Bogue Chitto River which was designated as eligible for nomination to the scenic streams stewardship program under Section 51-4-21 , is designated as a state scenic stream and is included in the Mississippi Scenic Streams Stewardship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-303 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 35-303
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-303
Status: in_force

(a) It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative determination, that the lands and properties along the waterways and rivers of the state are among its basic resources, that the overflow and surface waters of the state have not heretofore been conserved or fully controlled to realize their full beneficial use, that the control of such waters is necessary to insure adequate protection to the inhabitants of the State of Mississippi and their properties, and to the municipalities of the State of Mississippi, to promote the balanced economic development of the state and to aid in flood control, conservation, and development of lands and property, and of the general health and welfare of the people of the State of Mississippi. It is further determined and declared that the diversion and control of the waters of any rivers on their tributaries and their overflow waters in or near municipalities for the protection and development of domestic, municipal, commercial, industrial, and manufacturing functions, for flood control, and for pollution abatement are, as a matter of public policy, for the general welfare of the entire people of the State of Mississippi.

(b) The creation of flood and drainage control districts to control the waters of the rivers of the State of Mississippi or their tributaries and their overflow waters is determined to be necessary and essential to the accomplishment of the aforesaid purposes and this article operates on a subject in which the state at large is interested. All the terms and provisions of this article are to be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes herein set forth, this being a remedial law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-7 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 15-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-7
Status: in_force

No reimbursement on the additional tax levies herein provided shall be made under the Homestead Exemption Law of 1946, being Sections 27-33-1 through 27-33-61 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-129 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 9-129
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-129
Status: in_force

The district is empowered to obtain through appropriate hearings an appropriation permit or permits from the board of water commissioners of the State of Mississippi, as provided for in Section 51-3-31 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-26-5 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 26-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-26-5
Status: in_force

Each of the counties in which the Tallahatchie River Authority is located is authorized and empowered to contribute any amount or amounts which the board of supervisors thereof deems advisable, acting in their sole discretion, to be paid from the general county fund of the respective counties.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-135 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 17 / Section 29-135
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-135
Status: in_force

If the majority of the landowners owning one third of the acreage of the lands or one third of the landowners owning a majority in acreage of the lands proposed to be added to the existing drainage district shall petition the chancery court of any county in which any part of the land lies to extend the boundaries of the existing drainage district so as to embrace and include their lands, proceedings shall be held in all respects in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-193 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 8 / Section 9-193
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-193
Status: in_force

The district, through its board of directors, in addition to any and all powers now or hereafter granted to it, is hereby empowered:

(a) To construct, operate and maintain a waterworks and water supply system in furtherance of the purposes of this act on land now owned or hereafter acquired by it for said purpose and to construct or otherwise acquire all waterworks or other facilities deemed necessary or useful for the treatment and processing of water available to it and the transportation and supplying of such water to public agencies or to the district or persons situated on land owned by the district for municipal, commercial, domestic, industrial, agricultural and manufacturing purposes.

(b) To acquire by condemnation or otherwise any and all property of any kind, real, personal, or mixed, or any interest therein, necessary or convenient to the exercise of the purposes of and the powers granted by this act. Any property acquired by condemnation shall be acquired according to the procedure otherwise provided by law for the condemnation of property by public agencies. For the purposes of this act, the right of eminent domain shall be superior and dominant to the right of eminent domain of railroad, telephone, telegraph, gas, power and other companies or corporations.

The amount and character of interest in land, other property, and easements thus to be acquired shall be determined by the board of directors, and their determination shall be conclusive and shall not be subject to attack in the absence of manifold abuse of discretion or fraud on the part of such board in making such determination. However:

(i) In acquiring lands, either by negotiation or condemnation, the district shall not acquire minerals or royalties; provided that sand and gravel shall not be considered as minerals within the meaning of this section; and

(ii) No person or persons owning the drilling rights or the right to share in production shall be prevented from exploring, developing or producing oil or gas with necessary rights-of-way for ingress and egress, pipelines and other means of transporting interests on any land or interest therein of the district held or used for the purposes of this act; but any such activities shall be under such reasonable regulations by the board of directors as will adequately protect the waterworks and water supply system of the district contemplated by this act.

(c) To require the necessary relocation or rerouting of roads and highways, railroad, telephone and telegraph lines and properties, electric power lines, gas pipelines and related facilities, or to require the anchoring or other protection of any of these, provided due compensation is first paid to the owners thereof or agreement is had with such owners regarding the payment of the cost of such relocation, and to acquire easements or rights-of-way for such relocation or rerouting and to convey the same to the owners of the property being relocated or rerouted in connection with the purposes of this act.

(d) To enter into contracts with any person in furtherance of any of the purposes authorized by this act upon such consideration as the board of directors and such person may agree. Any such contract may extend over any period of time, notwithstanding any provision or rule of law to the contrary, may be upon such terms as the parties thereto shall agree, and may provide that it shall continue in effect until bonds specified therein, refunding bonds issued in lieu of such bonds and all other obligations specified therein are paid or terminated. Any such contract shall be binding upon the parties thereto according to its terms.

(e) To make and enforce, and from time to time amend and repeal, bylaws and rules and regulations for the management of its business and affairs and for the construction, use, maintenance and operation of any of the waterworks or water supply system under its management and control and any other of its properties.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-39-31 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 35 / Section 39-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-39-31
Status: in_force

(1) Any public agency may, in accordance with a duly adopted resolution or ordinance, contract with the district for the district to acquire, construct or provide facilities and projects to be owned by the district for furnishing storm water management and related services to the public agency or to users within the boundaries of the public agency. The public agency shall be obligated to make payments which shall be sufficient to enable the district to meet its expenses, and payments into funds for operation, maintenance and renewals and replacements. The contracts may also contain other terms and conditions as the district and the public agency may determine. Any contract may be for a term covering the life of the facilities or for any other term or for an indefinite period.

(2) Contracts may provide for payments in the form of contributions to defray the cost of any purpose set forth in the contracts and as advances for any facilities subject to repayment by the district. A public agency may make those contributions or advances from its general fund, general obligation bond proceeds, or surplus fund or from any monies legally available therefor. The entering into of any contract under this section shall not constitute the incurring of a debt by a public agency within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory limitations on debts of the state or units of local government.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-197 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 9-197
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-197
Status: in_force

Whenever a public agency shall have executed a contract pursuant to this act and the payments thereunder are to be made either wholly or partly from the revenues of the public agency's waterworks, water supply system, sewerage system or sewage disposal system or a combination of such systems, the duty is hereby imposed on the public agency to establish and maintain and from time to time to adjust the rates charged by the public agency for the services of such system or systems, such that the revenues therefrom together with any taxes levied in support thereof will be sufficient at all times to pay: (a) the expense of operating and maintaining such system or systems including all of the public agency's obligations to the district, its successors or assigns under such contract; and (b) all of the public agency's obligations under and in connection with revenue bonds theretofore issued, or which may be issued thereafter and secured by the revenues of such system or systems. Any such contract may require the use of consulting engineers and financial experts to advise the public agency whether and when such rates are to be adjusted.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-17 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 33-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-17
Status: in_force

Drainage districts existing or hereafter created under the laws of the State of Mississippi and having secured the powers conferred by Sections 51-33-1 through 51-33-9 , may borrow funds for any purpose authorized by law from state agencies, political subdivisions of the state, other organizations created under state laws, the government of the United States, and agencies thereof, at an interest rate not to exceed five per cent (5%) per annum. The terms of all such loans are to be approved by the chancery court or the chancellor in vacation. Such loans shall be evidenced by the promissory note of said district and shall be executed in the name of the district by its commissioners. As security therefor said commissioners may pledge and assign the entire revenues of said district, not to exceed the amount of benefits or assessments approved and confirmed against the property of said district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-23 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 31-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-23
Status: in_force

Where the land to be included in a proposed drainage district lies wholly within one county or a judicial district of a county, the petition for the organization of the district shall be filed in the chancery court of such county or judicial district. Where the lands to be included in such proposed drainage district lie in two or more districts or counties in this state, the petition shall be filed in the chancery court of the county or judicial district in which the greatest or greater number of acres of land to be included lie. Such chancery court or the chancellor thereof shall have jurisdiction of the entire drainage district, whether all of the proposed lands of the drainage district lie within the chancery court district, or a part of the lands lie outside thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-89 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 33-89
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-89
Status: in_force

Sections 51-33-75 through 51-33-89 are not intended as repealing or modifying any statute of this state pertaining to drainage districts, but are intended as an additional and cumulative method of managing and operating drainage districts under special circumstances.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-137 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 9-137
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-137
Status: in_force

Bonds issued pursuant to this article shall not exceed twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000.00) in principal amount.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-31 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 39 / Section 41-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-31
Status: in_force

(1) The water authority may at any time, and from time to time, issue refunding bonds for the purpose of refunding the principal of and interest, if any, on any bonds of the water authority previously issued under this chapter and then outstanding, whether or not the principal and interest have matured at the time of the refunding under this chapter, and for the payment of any expenses incurred in connection with the refunding and any premium necessary to be paid in order to redeem or retire the bonds to be refunded.

(2) The proceeds derived from the sale of any refunding bonds shall be used only for the purposes for which the refunding bonds were authorized to be issued.

(3) Any such refunding may be effected either by sale of the refunding bonds and the application of the proceeds thereof by immediate application or by escrow deposit, with the right to invest monies in the escrow deposit until needed for the redemption or by exchange of the refunding bonds for the bonds or interest coupons to be refunded thereby. However, the holders of any bonds so to be refunded shall not be compelled without their consent to surrender their bonds for payment or exchange before the date on which they may be paid or redeemed by the water authority under their respective provisions.

(4) Any refunding bonds of the water authority shall be payable solely from the revenues out of which the bonds to be refunded were payable or from those other sources or other revenues that might be identified in the indenture.

(5) All provisions of this chapter pertaining to bonds of the water authority that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall, to the extent applicable, also apply to refunding bonds issued by the water authority.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-27 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 17 / Section 29-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-27
Status: in_force

As soon as said board of commissioners shall have formed its plan and shall ascertain the cost of improvement, it shall file the same with the clerk of the board of supervisors. Said plans shall be accompanied by a map showing the location of all the main and lateral ditches, and shall be accompanied by specifications describing the character of the improvements to be made, the width and depth of the ditches, the probable quantity of earth to be removed, all other work to be done, and the probable cost of draining said territory. Whenever federal financial or other assistance is furnished in connection with the planning or construction of the proposed improvements, such plans and specifications shall be detailed only to the extent required by the federal department or agency responsible for furnishing such assistance.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-313 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 35-313
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-313
Status: in_force

Any person interested in or aggrieved by the final order of the court or of the chancellor, creating the district or dismissing the petition, and who was a party to the proceedings in the chancery court, may prosecute an appeal therefrom within ten days from the date of such decree by furnishing an appeal bond in the sum of five hundred dollars ($500.00) with two good and sufficient sureties, conditioned to pay all costs of the appeal in the event the decree is affirmed. Such appeal bond shall be subject to the approval of the chancery clerk. When the transcript of the record of the case shall be filed in the office of the supreme court, the appellee having been summoned to appear and answer the appeal, ten days after service of the summons on appellee or his attorney the court shall consider such case as entitled to be heard. Any party to any proceedings in any court involving any of the provisions of this article may waive any time for filing pleadings so as to obtain an earlier hearing.

Any appeal from such order or decree of the chancery court or chancellor shall be a preference case in the supreme court and shall be tried at the earliest moment convenient with said court.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-113 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 13-113
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-113
Status: in_force

All construction contracts by the district, where the amount of the contract shall exceed two thousand, five hundred dollars ($2,500.00), shall be made upon at least three weeks' public notice by advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the district, which notice shall state the thing to be done and invite sealed proposals, to be filed with the secretary of the district, to do the work; and in all such cases, before the notice shall be published, the plans and specifications for the work shall be filed with the secretary of the district and there remain. The board of directors of the district shall award the contract to the lowest and best bidder, who will comply with the terms imposed by such board and enter into bond with sufficient sureties, to be approved by the board, in such penalty as shall be fixed by such board but in no case to be less than the contract price, conditioned for the prompt, proper, and efficient performance of the contract.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-173 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 9-173
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-173
Status: in_force

For purposes of this article, unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed herein:

(a) “District” means the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District.

(b) “Qualified person” means a person who:

(i) Has met all the educational and training requirements of a course of study prescribed and conducted by the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy; and

(ii) Is of good moral character and has not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-131 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 13-131
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-131
Status: in_force

To provide additional funds for the planning, undertaking, completing and maintenance of any special work or construction project in a county as part of the long range development of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District, the respective boards of supervisors may set aside, appropriate and expend moneys from the general fund which shall be placed in a depository of the district designated for such purpose as a special fund, and shall be used by the district for no other purpose.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-193 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 9-193
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-193
Status: in_force

The district, through its board of directors, in addition to any and all powers now or hereafter granted to it, is hereby empowered:

(a) To construct, operate and maintain a waterworks and water supply system in furtherance of the purposes of this act on land now owned or hereafter acquired by it for said purpose and to construct or otherwise acquire all waterworks or other facilities deemed necessary or useful for the treatment and processing of water available to it and the transportation and supplying of such water to public agencies or to the district or persons situated on land owned by the district for municipal, commercial, domestic, industrial, agricultural and manufacturing purposes.

(b) To acquire by condemnation or otherwise any and all property of any kind, real, personal, or mixed, or any interest therein, necessary or convenient to the exercise of the purposes of and the powers granted by this act. Any property acquired by condemnation shall be acquired according to the procedure otherwise provided by law for the condemnation of property by public agencies. For the purposes of this act, the right of eminent domain shall be superior and dominant to the right of eminent domain of railroad, telephone, telegraph, gas, power and other companies or corporations.

The amount and character of interest in land, other property, and easements thus to be acquired shall be determined by the board of directors, and their determination shall be conclusive and shall not be subject to attack in the absence of manifold abuse of discretion or fraud on the part of such board in making such determination. However:

(i) In acquiring lands, either by negotiation or condemnation, the district shall not acquire minerals or royalties; provided that sand and gravel shall not be considered as minerals within the meaning of this section; and

(ii) No person or persons owning the drilling rights or the right to share in production shall be prevented from exploring, developing or producing oil or gas with necessary rights-of-way for ingress and egress, pipelines and other means of transporting interests on any land or interest therein of the district held or used for the purposes of this act; but any such activities shall be under such reasonable regulations by the board of directors as will adequately protect the waterworks and water supply system of the district contemplated by this act.

(c) To require the necessary relocation or rerouting of roads and highways, railroad, telephone and telegraph lines and properties, electric power lines, gas pipelines and related facilities, or to require the anchoring or other protection of any of these, provided due compensation is first paid to the owners thereof or agreement is had with such owners regarding the payment of the cost of such relocation, and to acquire easements or rights-of-way for such relocation or rerouting and to convey the same to the owners of the property being relocated or rerouted in connection with the purposes of this act.

(d) To enter into contracts with any person in furtherance of any of the purposes authorized by this act upon such consideration as the board of directors and such person may agree. Any such contract may extend over any period of time, notwithstanding any provision or rule of law to the contrary, may be upon such terms as the parties thereto shall agree, and may provide that it shall continue in effect until bonds specified therein, refunding bonds issued in lieu of such bonds and all other obligations specified therein are paid or terminated. Any such contract shall be binding upon the parties thereto according to its terms.

(e) To make and enforce, and from time to time amend and repeal, bylaws and rules and regulations for the management of its business and affairs and for the construction, use, maintenance and operation of any of the waterworks or water supply system under its management and control and any other of its properties.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-11 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 7-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-11
Status: in_force

Upon the filing of a petition for creation of a master water management district, and after fixing of the time, date, and place of hearing by the chancellor, the chancery clerk of the county wherein such petition is filed shall immediately publish a notice directed to the owners of land to be embraced in the proposed district, giving notice of the said petition and designating a date, not less than ten days nor more than twenty days after the last publication of notice, at which a hearing will be had on the petition. Said notice shall be published in a newspaper in each county wherein a part of such district is situated, such paper to have a general circulation in the area in said county wherein such portion of such district may be located, and said notice shall be published for three weeks in such newspaper. If there be no newspaper published in such county, then the notice provided herein shall be posted for not less than fifteen days, with one copy being posted on the bulletin board at the county courthouse and two copies posted at public places in the area proposed to be included in said master water management district. Said notice shall call upon landowners in such proposed district to show cause, if any, against establishment of such district, and such notice shall be in substantially the following form, to wit: “To all persons owning any interest in the following described lands, to wit: (with a description of the lands to be in subdivisions no smaller than quarter sections).”

Upon the date designated in the notice, or upon a subsequent day to which the matter may be continued, the chancery court shall hear all objections, if any are offered, to the organization of said district. Unless at the hearing at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landowners owning at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the land proposed to be included in the district or at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the landowners owning at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the land proposed to be included in the district shall object to the organization, further proceedings shall be had as hereinafter provided; but the district shall not be organized in the event of such objection by at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landowners owning at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) the land or by at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the landowners owning at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the land, excluding state-owned lands.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-23 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 4-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-23
Status: in_force

The Wolf River in Pearl River, Hancock, Stone and Harrison Counties from Highway 26 in Pearl River County to the Bay of St. Louis in Harrison County, which was initially designated as eligible for inclusion in the scenic stream program under Section 51-4-17 , is designated as a state scenic stream and is included in the State Scenic Streams Stewardship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-5 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 4-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-5
Status: in_force

The Legislature finds that certain selected streams and stream segments of this state possess unique or outstanding scenic, recreational, geological, botanical, fish, wildlife, historic or cultural values. It is the policy of the Legislature to provide for the protection of these streams and to conserve the state's natural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations, while preserving the private property rights of riparian landowners.

There is a necessity for a rational balance between the use of these streams and the conservation of the natural beauty along these streams. The Legislature finds that this balance will best be achieved through a nonregulatory voluntary stewardship program emphasizing local education, participation and support. The primary goal of the program is to maximize voluntary private conservation efforts and to build and maintain a sense of stewardship among stream users and riparian landowners. To accomplish this goal, the program must provide a nonregulatory framework to obtain cooperative, voluntary management agreements with riparian landowners to maintain scenic values while ensuring the rights of riparian landowners to continue customary uses along the stream.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-101 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 9-101
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-101
Status: in_force

This article may be cited as the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District Law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-101 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 15-101
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-101
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative determination, that the waterways and surface waters of the state are among its basic resources, that the overflow and surface waters of the state have not heretofore been conserved to realize their full beneficial use, that the utilization, development, conservation, and regulation of such waters are necessary to insure an adequate flood control program, sanitary water supply at all times, to promote the balanced economic development of the state, and to aid in conservation and development of state forests, irrigation of lands needing irrigation, and pollution abatement. It is further determined and declared that the preservation, conservation, storage, and regulation of the waters of the Pat Harrison Waterway District overflow waters for domestic, municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and manufacturing purposes, for recreational uses, for flood control, timber development, irrigation, and pollution abatement are, as a matter of public policy, for the general welfare of the entire people of the state.

The creation of the Pat Harrison Waterway District is determined to be necessary and essential to the accomplishment of the aforesaid purposes, and this article operates on a subject in which the state at large is interested. All the terms and provisions of this article are to be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes herein set forth, this being a remedial law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-13 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 41-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-13
Status: in_force

(1) The water authority shall have a board of directors composed of the number of directors provided in the application for reconstitution and certificate of incorporation, which shall not be fewer than five (5) directors. All powers of the water authority shall be exercised by the board or under its authorization.

(2) The directors shall be elected and determined, and shall serve in accordance with those procedures that the water authority may specify in its bylaws; provided, however, that each water or sewer user served by the water authority shall be entitled to vote on the election of directors of the water authority. The water authority's bylaws shall contain provisions and procedures for the election and appointment of its directors that are identical in nature to those same provisions and procedures as contained in the qualified corporation's bylaws, unless otherwise amended by the water authority or required by state law. A water authority shall promptly file a copy of any amendments to its bylaws with the Secretary of State. A water authority also may promulgate rules and regulations, not inconsistent with state law, containing provisions and procedures for the election and appointment of its directors.

(3) Each director shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed in Section 268, Mississippi Constitution of 1890 , that he will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of director, which oath shall be maintained on file by the water authority. Before entering upon the discharge of the duties of his office, each director shall be required to execute a bond payable to the State of Mississippi in the penal sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), conditioned that he will faithfully discharge the duties of his office.

(4) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. No vacancy in the membership of the board shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the powers and duties of the water authority. A director shall continue in office until the director's successor is properly elected and accepts office.

(5) The members of the board and the officers of the water authority shall serve without compensation, except that they may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in and about the performance of their duties.

(6) All meetings and records of the water authority shall be subject to the Mississippi Open Meetings Act and the Mississippi Public Records Act.

(7) All proceedings of the board shall be reduced to writing by the secretary of the water authority and appropriately recorded and maintained in a well bound book.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-149 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 8 / Section 9-149
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-149
Status: in_force

(1) The board of directors shall designate one or more qualified state depositories within the district to serve as depositories for the funds of the district, and all funds of the district other than funds required by any trust agreement to be deposited, from time to time, with the trustee or any paying agent for outstanding bonds of the district shall be deposited in such depository or depositories. Any such designated depository shall be eligible to hold funds of the district to the extent that it is qualified as a depository for state funds.

(2) Before designating a depository or depositories, the board of directors shall issue a notice stating the time and place the board will meet for such purpose and inviting the qualified state depositories in the district to submit applications to be designated depositories. The term of service for depositories shall be prescribed by the board. Such notice shall be published one (1) time in a newspaper or newspapers published in the district and specified by the board.

(3) At the time mentioned in the notice, the board shall consider the applications and the management and condition of the depositories filing them, and shall designate as depositories the qualified state depository or depositories which offer the most favorable terms and conditions for the handling of the funds of the district and which the board finds have proper management and are in condition to warrant handling of district funds. Membership on the board of directors of an officer or director of a depository shall not disqualify such depository from being designated as a depository.

(4) If no applications acceptable to the board are received by the time stated in the notice, the board shall designate some qualified state depository or depositories within or without the district upon such terms and conditions as it may find advantageous to the district. Any such designated depository shall be eligible to hold funds of the district to the extent that it is qualified as a depository for state funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-111 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 33-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-111
Status: in_force

At the time, date, and place set for the hearing of said petition as above provided, the court or chancellor in vacation shall at said time, date, and place also take up, examine, determine, and allow all claims of indebtedness of said district, bonded or otherwise. Any claims of indebtedness against any of said drainage districts which are not filed and presented with the clerk of the court in which said proceeding is pending on or before the time and date fixed therefor by the decree of the court or chancellor in vacation and in the notice so published shall be forever barred, except the claims of holders of bonds or of certificates of indebtedness legally issued by said district, and the interest thereon.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-107 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 29-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-107
Status: in_force

All hearings hereinbefore provided to be heard before the chancellor may be heard before a special commissioner who may be appointed by the chancellor, who shall have full authority to make all findings of law and of fact, and whose findings shall be reduced to writing and reported to the chancellor for confirmation either in term-time or in vacation. Such reports shall be subject to exceptions or objections, but no notice of the hearing of such exceptions shall be necessary, provided the date for hearing exceptions to the commissioner's report shall have been fixed in the order referring the matter to the commissioner. Such commissioner shall receive such compensation as may be allowed him by the chancellor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-113 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 9-113
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-113
Status: in_force

The chancery court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County may hear the petition at any term thereof, or the chancellor of said court may fix a time to hear such petition at any time in vacation, and may determine all matters pertaining thereto, may adjourn the hearing from time to time, and may continue the case for want of sufficient notice or other good cause. If said petition shall prove defective in any manner, the petitioners, upon motion, shall be permitted to amend the same.

Upon the day set for hearing said petition, or a day to which same may be continued by the court or chancellor, all parties interested may appear and contest the same. If upon the hearing of such petition, it is found that such project is feasible from an engineering standpoint and practical, and if the creation of the water supply district under the terms of this article would meet a public necessity both local and statewide and would be conducive to the public welfare of the state as a whole, such court or chancellor shall so find and shall make and enter an order upon the minutes of the said chancery court stating that the said district to be known as the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, should be organized subject to all of the terms and provisions of this article.

If the chancellor finds that the proposed water supply district should not be organized, he shall dismiss the proceedings, and the costs shall be paid by the Pearl River Industrial Commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-11-105 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 11-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-11-105
Status: in_force

The following provisions related to the Lower Pearl River Restoration Project (“project”) are contingent upon the development of an agreement, or an amendment to the existing agreement, between the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (“MDEQ”), the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (“DWFP”) and the district, removing the district from the agreement, and possibly adding a new cooperating partner or partners and possibly removing the MDEQ and/or the DWFP from the agreement.

From and after July 1, 2018, the project, currently being managed as a joint effort of the MDEQ, the DWFP, and the district, shall continue as per existing agreements, which may be amended to reflect the dissolution of the district and its removal from those agreements. The obligations of the district under the current agreements for the project may be assumed by the MDEQ, or other entity, as the designated state entity for the continuing obligation of maintenance of the water control structures as set forth in the original agreements. The parties to the agreement may identify necessary maintenance activities needed to preserve the integrity of project structures and other ordinary maintenance activities as the parties may agree need to be performed. Funding to perform those maintenance activities shall come from the Lower Pearl trust account currently on deposit with a depository or depositories in the name of the Pearl River Basin Development District, which funds are a special fund set aside solely for the operation and maintenance of the project. From and after July 1, 2018, the parties to the agreement, may assume ownership, in trust, of those funds, and the funds shall be known as the “Lower Pearl River Restoration Trust Fund.” Monies from this fund shall be a special fund set aside for the purpose(s) set forth in the amended or reformed agreement between the parties and shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and may not be expended for any purpose other than operation and maintenance activities under the purview of the project.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-51 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 3-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-51
Status: in_force

The procedures whereby the commission or an employee thereof may obtain a hearing before the commission on a violation of any provisions of this chapter, including a violation of the terms and conditions of any water permit issued by the board, or of a regulation or of any order of the commission or whereby any interested person may obtain a hearing on matters within the jurisdiction of the commission or a hearing on any order of the commission shall be as prescribed in Sections 49-17-31 through 49-17-41 . Further, all proceedings before the permit board shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by Section 49-17-29 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-155 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 8 / Section 9-155
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-155
Status: in_force

The provisions of any other law, general, special or local, except as provided in this article, shall not limit or restrict the powers granted by this article. The water supply district herein provided for shall not be subject to regulation or control by the public service commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-75 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 29-75
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-75
Status: in_force

No corporation, individual, or other drainage district, outside the limits of any district organized or operating under the terms of this chapter, shall drain into any ditch belonging to any district formed or operating under the terms of this chapter, without first paying compensation, to be ascertained by a jury in the circuit court or chancery court, for the use of said ditch, unless an agreement is reached between the commissioners of the district and the corporation, individual, or other drainage district desiring to use such ditch, as to such compensation. This and Section 51-29-77 shall not operate to interfere with vested rights to natural drainage.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-215 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 9-215
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-215
Status: in_force

The district may, in any authorizing resolution of the board of directors, trust indenture or other security instrument relating to its bonds, provide for the appointment of a trustee who shall have such powers as are provided therein to represent the registered owners of any issue of bonds in the enforcement or protection of their rights under any such resolution, trust indenture or security instrument. The district may also provide in such resolution, trust indenture or other security instrument that the trustee, or in the event that the trustee so appointed shall fail or decline to so protect and enforce such registered owners' rights then such percentage of registered owners as shall be set forth in, and subject to the provisions of, such resolution, trust indenture or other security interest, may petition the court of proper jurisdiction for the appointment of a receiver of the collection facilities or treatment facilities the revenues of which are pledged to the payment of the principal of and interest on the bonds of such registered owners. Such receiver may exercise any power as may be granted in any such resolution, trust indenture or security instrument to enter upon and take possession of, acquire, construct or reconstruct or operate and maintain such collection facilities or treatment facilities, fix, charge, collect, enforce and receive all revenues derived from such collection facilities or treatment facilities and perform the public duties and carry out the contracts and obligations of the district in the same manner as the district itself might do, all under the direction of such court.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-47 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 29-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-47
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of each county to make an annual tax levy, at the same time when the county tax levy is made or at any succeeding regular meeting, in an amount not exceeding the installment of assessment levied for that year sufficient to meet the obligations of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-109 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 15-109
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-109
Status: in_force

The Board of Water Commissioners shall file a written answer to the petition within thirty (30) days after such service. After the filing of the answer of the Board of Water Commissioners, and upon motion of the petitioners, the chancellor shall enter an order fixing the date for a hearing of the cause on the original petition, the exhibits, the answer of the Board of Water Commissioners, and any other answers filed or other pleadings. The chancery clerk shall give notice of such hearing to all persons interested by posting notices thereof at the door of the courthouse of the county or counties in which the district is situated and in at least ten (10) public places in said proposed district, and also by publishing said notice at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in each of the counties or municipalities proposed to be included in such waterway district. If there is no newspaper published in any such county or municipality, then it shall be sufficient to publish said notice in a newspaper having a general circulation in such county or municipality. Such notice shall be addressed to the property owners and qualified electors of such proposed district and all other persons interested, shall state when and in what court said petition was and is filed, shall state the counties and municipalities included in such district, and shall command all such persons to appear before the Chancery Court, or the chancellor in vacation, at the Chancery Court building of Forrest County upon the date fixed by the chancellor to show cause, if any they can, why the proposed waterway district should not be organized and established as prayed for in said petition. The date for such hearing shall not be less than twenty-one (21) days nor more than forty (40) days after the last publication of such notice. It shall be sufficient in describing the lands to be included in the waterway district to name the counties and municipalities to be included therein in the publication or notice hereinbefore mentioned.

If the court or chancellor finds that the notice or publication was not given as provided for in this article, it shall not thereby lose jurisdiction, but the court or chancellor shall order due publication or notice to be given and shall continue the hearing until such publication or notice shall be properly given; and the court or chancellor shall thereupon proceed as though publication or notice had been properly given in the first instance.

On or after July 1, 2023, the procedures of this section shall apply to a petition filed under Section 51-15-107 to modify the decree organizing the district to include a municipality as a member of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-143 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 13-143
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-143
Status: in_force

The board of directors of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District is hereby authorized and empowered to negotiate and contract with the United States of America, or any agency thereof, concerning all lands, easements, and rights of way necessary for the relocation of any federal road, highway, parkway, or for the facilities appurtenant thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-37 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 26 / Section 31-37
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-37
Status: in_force

If upon the hearing of said report and of objections made thereto, the court or chancellor shall be of opinion that said drainage district should be organized, he shall order the confirmation of said report and declare said district duly organized. If it shall appear to the court or chancellor that additional ditches or drains for main outlets not named in the report are necessary, the court or chancellor shall modify the same to conform to the equities in the premises; or if not sufficiently informed, the court or chancellor may refer the said report back to the commissioners for correction, may order the commissioners to correct and reform their report, and may make directions how they shall reform their report. The court may make all necessary orders in the premises for the continuance of the hearing of said report and the confirmation thereof.

If the report be referred back to the commissioners for amendment, the court or chancellor may fix a day when the commissioners may again present their report, in which case the hearing shall stand adjourned to that date and no further notice shall be required thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-39 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-39
Status: in_force

No member of any board of commissioners of any master water management district shall be liable for any damages sustained by any one in the prosecution of the work under his charge, unless it shall be made to appear that he has acted with a corrupt and malicious intent.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-19 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 37 / Section 41-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-19
Status: in_force

Each project, all the water authority's interest therein, and all income from the project, is determined and declared by the Legislature to be public property used exclusively for a public purpose and shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation by all taxing authorities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-81 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 29-81
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-81
Status: in_force

All taxes levied under the terms of this chapter shall be payable at the same time the state and county taxes are payable. The tax collector shall place the same upon the tax receipt along with the state and county and other taxes, shall collect all of the taxes due on said land together, and shall not accept payment of any sum less than the entire aggregate amount of all state, county, drainage, and other taxes due upon said lands. Should said taxes, including the drainage taxes, be not paid at maturity, the tax collector shall sell said lands for all taxes due thereon, including drainage taxes, at the time and in the manner now provided for the sale of land for taxes due thereon to the state and county. Such sale shall be subject to the provisions of law for the sale of land for state and county taxes, and the owner of said land shall have the right to redeem from said sale as now provided by law.

When any lands situated in a drainage district are sold for nonpayment of taxes thereon, the drainage district in which same is situated may, in the discretion of its board of commissioners, appear at said sale and purchase said land in the name of the drainage district in the same manner as an individual, and in that event shall pay to the tax collector the amount of said purchase price out of the funds of the district.

If upon offering the land of any delinquent taxpayer constituting one tract, no person will bid for it the whole amount of taxes and all costs, the collector shall strike same off to the state in the same manner as provided for in case of sales for state and county taxes.

When any land shall be sold to the state for taxes due thereon and the same shall not be redeemed within the time provided by law, the same may be sold or contracted for sale by the land commissioner, in the manner provided for the sale and contract for sale of other tax forfeited lands.

Except as herein otherwise provided, the provisions of the law relative to the sale of delinquent land for taxes, the title thereto, and the handling and sale of lands sold to the state for taxes shall apply to all sales under this chapter.

When any drainage district shall have purchased lands at any tax sale under the terms of this chapter, the board of commissioners thereof, after the period of redemption has expired, may sell, lease, or rent the lands so purchased. The deed or lease shall be executed by the president and secretary of the board of commissioners under the seal of the district. But said lands shall not be sold for an amount less than the price paid therefor and all subsequently accrued state, county, drainage, and other taxes. However, the drainage commissioners with the consent of the bondholders may sell the lands of the drainage district for an amount less than the price paid therefor and all subsequently accrued state, county, drainage, and other taxes.

The drainage district shall pay all state and county and other taxes assessed against said land purchased by it at tax sales under the provisions of this chapter, and may pay the same out of any funds belonging to the district.

The chancery clerks of the counties in which are located drainage districts, or parts thereof, shall account to the commissioners of such drainage districts for money received in the redemption of lands sold for taxes belonging to such districts, in the same manner as for state and county taxes. Any lands sold for any drainage taxes may be redeemed in the same manner and within the same time as provided by law for the redemption of lands sold for state and county taxes upon the payment of all costs, five per centum damages on the amount of taxes for which the land was sold, and interest on all such taxes at the rate of one per centum per month or any fractional part thereof, from the date of such sale.

Lands purchased by the board of drainage commissioners of any drainage district at a tax sale and lands purchased by the board of drainage commissioners of any drainage district from the state shall be liable thereafter for state and county taxes levied and assessed against the same to the same extent as if owned by a natural person or a private corporation. And it shall be the duty of the tax assessor to assess said lands for taxes in the same manner as other lands are assessed; and if the taxes are not paid when due, such lands shall be sold by the tax collector for the delinquent taxes due and unpaid at the time and in the manner provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-101 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 13-101
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-101
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative determination, that the waterways and surface waters of the state are among its basic resources, that the overflow and surface waters of the state have not heretofore been conserved to realize their full beneficial use, that the utilization, development, conservation, and regulation of such waters are necessary to insure an adequate flood control program, sanitary water supply at all times, to promote the balanced economic development of the state, and to aid in conservation and development of state forests, irrigation of lands needing irrigation, navigation, and pollution abatement. It is further determined and declared that the preservation, conservation, storage, and regulation of the waters of the Tombigbee River, its tributaries, and its overflow waters for domestic, municipal, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and manufacturing purposes, for recreational uses, flood control, timber development, irrigation, navigation, and pollution abatement are, as a matter of public policy, for the general welfare of the entire people of the state.

The creation of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District is determined to be necessary and essential to the accomplishment of the aforesaid purposes, and this article operates on a subject in which the state at large is interested. All the terms and provisions of this article are to be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes herein set forth, this being a remedial law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-127 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 31-127
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-127
Status: in_force

The drainage commissioners and the treasurer of the main drainage district shall keep a separate account of all funds and expenses and payments of a subdrainage district, so that at any time the account will show the exact financial condition of such subdrainage district, both as to receipts and disbursements.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-109 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 9-109
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-109
Status: in_force

The Pearl River Industrial Commission, acting through it members who favor bringing the counties they represent into the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, shall petition the chancery court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County to organize and establish the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and shall set forth in the petition:

(a) The counties to be included in the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District. Any county through which the Pearl River runs or which borders on the Pearl River may be included in the district.

(b) The fact that a preliminary report or study to determine the engineering feasibility of constructing a dam and reservoir in the basin of Pearl River has been made by a competent engineer or engineering firm and that such study or report shows that the construction of such facilities is feasible for water conservation or supply or for any of the other purposes or services contemplated by the legislative declaration of public policy in this article.

(c) The necessity and desirability for the construction of such facilities.

(d) A general description of the purposes of the contemplated works, and a general description of the plan including the lands to be overflowed or otherwise affected thereby, and maps or plats showing the general location of the reservoir and dam and related facilities. The word “project” when used herein shall mean the general plan and purposes of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District, including its physical properties, as set out in this petition to the chancery court; and the words “project area” shall mean the physical location of the reservoir, dam, and related facilities as shown on the plats filed with the chancery court and shall include and be limited to an area of one mile from the shore line of the reservoir at high water. The words “related facilities” as used in this article shall mean the facilities indicated on said maps or plats filed with the chancery court or otherwise explained in the pleadings filed with the chancery court and shall include property, land, or areas of land adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, said reservoir or dam and within a distance of one mile from the high water mark of the proposed shore line of said reservoir as shown on said map, which may be acquired, owned, rented, leased, or sold by the district in connection with the recreational or industrial development and use of the project.

The petition shall be filed with as many copies as there are parties defendant. A copy of the preliminary report or study shall be attached to the original and each copy of the petition as an exhibit.

The board of water commissioners shall be made a party defendant, and the chancery clerk shall furnish the board of water commissioners with a copy of the petition with attached exhibits. Each county named in the petition shall be joined as a party defendant by service of process on the president of the board of supervisors thereof, and the chancery clerk shall furnish a copy of the petition to each such president. Whenever any municipality having a population according to the most recent federal census of ten thousand (10,000) or more is included in such proposed district, such municipality shall be made a party defendant.

It shall not be necessary that any land owners in the counties to be included in said proposed district be named in the petition, or made parties defendant. The chancellor of the chancery court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, shall have jurisdiction of the entire water supply district and project area for the purposes of this article. Such jurisdiction may be exercised by the chancellor in term time or in vacation, as provided in this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-13 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 35 / Section 35-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-13
Status: in_force

The commissioners of any drainage district entering into such agreements as are herein provided are hereby authorized and empowered to fix and levy an annual ad valorem tax of not exceeding two mills on the dollar upon all of the real and personal property in the district, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of acquiring or condemning and furnishing rights of way for levees and drainage ditches within or without the limits of the district. Such levy shall be certified by the commissioners to the board of supervisors of the proper county before the time fixed by law for the levying of county taxes; and the board of supervisors shall, at the time fixed by law for the levying of county taxes, levy such tax and certify said levy to the tax collector, who shall collect such taxes as other taxes of the county are collected.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-33 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 31-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-33
Status: in_force

As soon as may be after such petition shall be referred to said commissioners, or within such time as the court or chancellor may direct, the commissioners shall meet and go upon said lands and examine the same, and the lands over which the work is proposed to be constructed, and determine: first, the starting point, route, and termini of the proposed work, the location and size of the main ditch to be constructed in said drainage district, which in their opinion will successfully drain the said lands, and whether the drainage of the lands in such proposed drainage district is possible or not, provided that any ditch already constructed in such proposed drainage district may be used as a “main”, or part of a main ditch, if found expedient and sufficient for the purposes of the district; second, the probable cost of same, including expenses and court costs; third, what land will be injured or damaged by the proposed work and the probable aggregate amount of damages such lands will sustain by reason of the laying out and construction of such ditch or ditches; fourth, what lands will be benefited by the construction of the proposed work, and whether the aggregate amount of benefits will equal or exceed the cost of the construction of such work. In the examination of such district and determination of the questions for said commissioners to determine, the said commissioners are authorized and empowered to employ an engineer to go with them upon the lands of said district and examine the same, make a map and profile thereof, and an estimate of the size and depth of the ditch or ditches required for main outlets for the drains of said lands, and the probable cost, and a profile thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-29 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 3-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-29
Status: in_force

The following are hereby declared to constitute unpermitted waters:

(a) All water which has not been permitted prior to April 1, 1985;

(b) All surface water for which a permit had been issued prior to April 1, 1985, but for which no notice of claim has been filed by the expiration of three (3) years from April 1, 1985;

(c) All groundwater which was not subjected to use for a beneficial purpose on April 1, 1985;

(d) All water which having been used flows or seeps back or otherwise returns to a natural watercourse or waterbody, whether on the surface or underground.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-107 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 15-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-107
Status: in_force

The Pat Harrison Waterway Commission, acting through its members who favor bringing the counties they represent into the Pat Harrison Waterway District, or other counties having Pascagoula River, Leaf River, Chickasawhay River, or Tallahala Creek tributaries, shall petition the Chancery Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, to organize and establish the Pat Harrison Waterway District and shall set forth in the petition:

(a) The counties to be included in the Pat Harrison Waterway District. Each member of the Pat Harrison Waterway Commission, as created by virtue of Sections 51-15-1 through 51-15-9 , and any county through which the Pascagoula, Leaf, and Chickasawhay Rivers and Tallahala Creek run, or other counties having tributaries to such streams or which border on said streams, may be included in the district.

(b) The necessity and desirability for the developments and construction of suitable facilities.

(c) A general description of the purposes of the contemplated works, and a general description of the plan.

The petition shall be filed with as many copies as there are parties defendant.

The Board of Water Commissioners of the State of Mississippi shall be made a party defendant, and the chancery clerk shall furnish the Board of Water Commissioners with a copy of the petition with attached exhibits. Each county named in the petition shall be joined as a party defendant by service of process on the president of the board of supervisors thereof, and the chancery clerk shall furnish a copy of the petition to each such president. Whenever any municipality having a population according to the most recent federal decennial census of ten thousand (10,000) or more is included in such proposed district, such municipality shall be made a party defendant.

From and after July 1, 2023, any municipality located in a county that is not a member of the district may, by resolution spread on its minutes, request that the Pat Harrison Waterway Commission petition the Chancery Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, to modify its decree organizing the district to include the municipality as a member of the district. The Board of Water Commissioners of the State of Mississippi shall be made a party defendant, and the chancery clerk shall furnish the Board of Water Commissioners with a copy of the petition with attached exhibits. The municipality applying for membership shall not be made a party defendant.

It shall not be necessary that any landowners in the counties or municipalities to be included in said proposed district be named in the petition, or be made parties defendant. The chancellor of the Chancery Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, shall have jurisdiction of the entire waterway district for the purposes of this article. Such jurisdiction may be exercised by the chancellor in term time or in vacation, as provided in this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-21.4 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 4-21.4
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-21.4
Status: in_force

In accordance with Section 51-4-7 , a loop of Bear Creek in Tishomingo County from the Mississippi-Alabama state line where it enters Mississippi to the Mississippi-Alabama line where it reenters Alabama is designated as eligible for nomination to the State Scenic Streams Stewardship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-45 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 33-45
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-33-45
Status: in_force

The board of drainage commissioners of any drainage district organized under any of the drainage laws of this state are hereby authorized to purchase from the state any lands lying within such drainage district which have been sold to the state for delinquent taxes and the title to which, at the time of the filing of the application to purchase, has matured in the state. The board of drainage commissioners of any such drainage district desiring to purchase any such lands from the state shall file an application for the purchase of such lands with the land commissioner. The land commissioner with the approval of the governor may sell any such lands to the board of drainage commissioners of such drainage district at such price as may be authorized by law for the sale of lands to individuals, and such sale shall be made upon the same terms and conditions as are provided by law for the sale of lands to individuals. However, the limitation imposed by law upon the quantity of state forfeited tax lands which may be sold to a single individual shall not apply to sales of lands in drainage districts to the board of drainage commissioners under the provisions of this section. The board of drainage commissioners of such drainage districts are hereby authorized to appropriate money out of any funds on hand belonging to the drainage district for the payment of the purchase price of such land.

The patents to such lands shall be issued to the board of drainage commissioners of such drainage district in the form and manner prescribed by law; and the proceeds of all such sales shall be paid into the state treasury in the manner provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-131 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 9 / Section 13-131
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-131
Status: in_force

To provide additional funds for the planning, undertaking, completing and maintenance of any special work or construction project in a county as part of the long range development of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District, the respective boards of supervisors may set aside, appropriate and expend moneys from the general fund which shall be placed in a depository of the district designated for such purpose as a special fund, and shall be used by the district for no other purpose.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-5 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-5
Status: in_force

(1) Master water management districts may be organized from the territory of two or more existing drainage or water management districts, from the territory of parts of two or more of such existing districts, from territory in whole or in part of one or more of such existing districts and territory not now included in any such existing district, or from territory not now included in any drainage or water management district.

(2)(a) Whenever a proposed master water management district is to be composed of lands lying wholly within existing drainage or water management districts, whether or not such master water management district is to include all or parts of said existing districts, and the commissioners of such existing districts desire to form a master water management district, they shall petition the chancery court for the creation of such master water management district. Such petition shall be signed by the president or chairman and the secretary of the board of commissioners of each petitioning drainage or water management district; and there shall be affixed to said petition a certificate by the secretary of each such district, certifying that the execution of such petition by said officers in behalf of such drainage or water management district has been duly authorized by the commissioners thereof. Said petition shall be filed in the chancery court district in which the largest acreage of such proposed district is situated and in the county, or either of the judicial districts thereof, in such court district having the largest acreage in such court district.

(b) Whenever such proposed master water management district is composed of lands lying partly within and partly without one or more existing drainage or water management districts and the creation of such district is desired, a petition proposing the creation of such master water management district shall be filed in the chancery court; and such petition shall be signed by the president or chairman and secretary of the board of commissioners of each petitioning drainage or water management district as to the lands within each such district and by at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the landowners owning at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the lands or by at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landowners owning at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the lands as to the lands not then within any such existing district, excluding lands owned by the state. There shall be affixed to said petition a certificate by the secretary of each such existing district, certifying that the execution of such petition in behalf of such drainage or water management district has been duly authorized by the commissioners thereof. Said petition shall be filed in the chancery court district in which the largest acreage of such proposed district is situated and in the county, or either of the judicial districts thereof, in such court district having the largest acreage in such court district.

(c) Whenever such proposed master water management district as composed of lands lying entirely without any existing drainage or water management district and the creation of such district is desired, a petition proposing the creation of such master water management district shall be filed in the chancery court; and such petition shall be signed by at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the landowners owning at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the lands or by at least one third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landowners owning at least one half ( 1 / 2 ) of the lands to be included within such district, excluding the lands therein owned by the state. Said petition shall be filed in the chancery court district in which the largest acreage of such proposed district is situated and in the county, or either of the judicial districts thereof, in such court district having the largest acreage in such court district.

(3) If the petition for creation of the master water management district includes any area lying in whole or in part within a levee district duly constituted under the laws of this state, there shall be attached to the petition a copy of a resolution adopted by the levee board of such levee district, approving the proposed petition for creation of the master water management district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-39-7 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 35 / Section 39-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-39-7
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Any single unit of local government or any combination of units of local government may create a district.

(b) If any unit of local government is located within an existing district, then the unit of local government shall petition the district to provide a service or function needed by the petitioning unit, if the service or function is one which the district has the power and authority to perform. Upon receipt of the petition, the district shall have ninety (90) days within which to respond affirmatively to the petition, setting forth its intent to meet the need or perform the service or function and its plan to meet the need or perform the service or function. If the existing district does not affirmatively respond in a timely fashion, then the petitioning unit of local government may form a district as provided in this chapter.

(c) The district may include any geographic area within the boundaries of any interested unit of local government.

(d) A district may be formed although adequate water supply, flood control, drainage or other water or wastewater management activities are being undertaken by one or more of the units of local government interested in creating a district or by another public agency existing and operating within the geographical area of the district.

(2) Creation of a district shall be initiated by ordinance or resolution duly adopted by the governing body of each unit of local government. The ordinance or resolution shall state: (a) the necessity for the proposed district; (b) the primary function of the proposed district; (c) the geographic boundaries of the proposed district within the jurisdiction of the unit of local government; (d) the names and geographic boundaries of any other units of local government proposing to be in the district; (e) the date upon which the governing body intends to create the district; (f) the estimated cost of projects to be conducted and maintained by the district; however the estimate shall not serve as a limitation upon the financing of any project or to invalidate any ordinance or resolution adopted under this section; (g) the name of a designated representative of the unit of local government to enter into an incorporation agreement with the other units of local government, if applicable; and (h) any other information reasonably necessary to inform the constituency of the unit of local government of the purpose and proposed obligations of the unit of local government and other units of local government, if applicable, proposing to create the district.

(3) The governing body of the unit of local government may hold a public meeting or public hearing on the necessity for creation of the district. The governing body shall provide notice in the manner provided under Section 51-39-9 of any public meeting or public hearing.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-85 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 29-85
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-85
Status: in_force

Whenever such certificate or certificates are issued, the person or persons to whom the same is issued may use such certificate or certificates in purchasing any lands located in said district that have been forfeited to the State of Mississippi for failure to pay taxes thereon. The land commissioner and state treasurer shall receive such certificates in lieu of cash for the amount of the taxes due on said lands to such drainage district, but the amount of the state and county taxes due thereon, if any, shall be paid in cash.

The person or persons to whom certificates of indebtedness for taxes erroneously paid have been issued as provided under Section 51-29-83 , if they so elect, shall also be entitled to use such certificates, either in part or whole payment of drainage taxes in the district by which issued at a subsequent tax paying date, notwithstanding such certificate or certificates may have been issued for the purchase of state lands as provided in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-111 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 17 / Section 31-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-111
Status: in_force

The drainage commissioners of any county in which a drainage district has been organized and who have sold bonds for 80% of the assessment on the lands in such district, and who have provided for the collection of the remaining twenty per cent of the assessment on the lands in such district in cash within not less than four months, are authorized to issue and sell the bonds, notes, or other objects of indebtedness of the drainage district for the twenty per cent, or any part thereof, which was provided to have been paid in cash and which has not yet been paid.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-149 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 9-149
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-149
Status: in_force

(1) The board of directors shall designate one or more qualified state depositories within the district to serve as depositories for the funds of the district, and all funds of the district other than funds required by any trust agreement to be deposited, from time to time, with the trustee or any paying agent for outstanding bonds of the district shall be deposited in such depository or depositories. Any such designated depository shall be eligible to hold funds of the district to the extent that it is qualified as a depository for state funds.

(2) Before designating a depository or depositories, the board of directors shall issue a notice stating the time and place the board will meet for such purpose and inviting the qualified state depositories in the district to submit applications to be designated depositories. The term of service for depositories shall be prescribed by the board. Such notice shall be published one (1) time in a newspaper or newspapers published in the district and specified by the board.

(3) At the time mentioned in the notice, the board shall consider the applications and the management and condition of the depositories filing them, and shall designate as depositories the qualified state depository or depositories which offer the most favorable terms and conditions for the handling of the funds of the district and which the board finds have proper management and are in condition to warrant handling of district funds. Membership on the board of directors of an officer or director of a depository shall not disqualify such depository from being designated as a depository.

(4) If no applications acceptable to the board are received by the time stated in the notice, the board shall designate some qualified state depository or depositories within or without the district upon such terms and conditions as it may find advantageous to the district. Any such designated depository shall be eligible to hold funds of the district to the extent that it is qualified as a depository for state funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-27 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 29-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-27
Status: in_force

As soon as said board of commissioners shall have formed its plan and shall ascertain the cost of improvement, it shall file the same with the clerk of the board of supervisors. Said plans shall be accompanied by a map showing the location of all the main and lateral ditches, and shall be accompanied by specifications describing the character of the improvements to be made, the width and depth of the ditches, the probable quantity of earth to be removed, all other work to be done, and the probable cost of draining said territory. Whenever federal financial or other assistance is furnished in connection with the planning or construction of the proposed improvements, such plans and specifications shall be detailed only to the extent required by the federal department or agency responsible for furnishing such assistance.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-3 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 3-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-3
Status: in_force

The following words and phrases, for the purposes of this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

(a) “ Person ” means the state or other agency or institution thereof, any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corporation, individual, partnership, association or other entity, and includes any officer or governing or managing body of any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corporation or the United States, or any officer or employee thereof.

(b) “ Surface water ” means that water occurring on the surface of the ground.

(c) “ Domestic uses ” means the use of water for ordinary household purposes, the watering of farm livestock, poultry and domestic animals and the irrigation of home gardens and lawns.

(d) “ Municipal use ” means the use of water by a municipal government and the inhabitants thereof, primarily to promote the life, safety, health, comfort and business pursuits of the inhabitants. It does not include the irrigation of crops within the corporate boundaries.

(e) “ Beneficial use ” means the application of water to a useful purpose as determined by the commission, but excluding waste of water.

(f) “ Permittee ” means the person who obtains a permit from the board authorizing him to take possession by diversion or otherwise and to use and apply an allotted quantity of water for a designated beneficial use and who makes actual use of the water for such purpose, or his successor.

(g) “ Permitted use ” means:

(1) The use of a specific amount of water at a specific time and at a specific place, authorized and allotted by the board for a designated beneficial purpose within the specific limits as to quantity, time, place and rate of diversion and withdrawal.

(2) The right to the use of water as specified in the permit, subject to the provisions of Section 51-3-5 , including the construction of waterworks or other related facilities.

(h) “ Watercourse ” means any natural lake, river, creek, cut, or other natural body of fresh water or channel having definite banks and bed with visible evidence of the flow or occurrence of water, except such lakes without outlet to which only one (1) landowner is riparian.

(i) “ Established minimum flow ” means the minimum flow for a given stream at a given point thereon as determined and established by the commission when reasonably required for the purposes of this chapter. “Minimum flow” is the average streamflow rate over seven (7) consecutive days that may be expected to be reached as an annual minimum no more frequently than one (1) year in ten (10) years (7Q10), or any other streamflow rate that the commission may determine and establish using generally accepted scientific methodologies considering biological, hydrological and hydraulic factors. In selecting a generally accepted scientific methodology, the commission shall consult with and shall consider recommendations from the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. In determining and establishing the minimum streamflow rates, the commission shall give consideration to consumptive and nonconsumptive water uses, including, but not limited to, agricultural, industrial, municipal and domestic uses, assimilative waste capacity, recreation, navigation, fish and wildlife resources and other ecologic values, estuarine resources, aquifer recharge and aesthetics.

(j) “ Established average minimum lake levels ” means the average minimum lake levels for a given lake as determined and established by the commission when reasonably required for the purposes of this chapter. The “average minimum lake level” is that level which shall not be expected to be reached as an average annual minimum no more frequently than one (1) year in ten (10) years, or such other minimum lake level that the commission may determine and establish using generally accepted scientific methodologies considering biological, hydrological and hydraulic factors. In selecting a generally accepted scientific methodology, the commission shall consult with and shall consider recommendations from the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(k) “ Board ” means the Permit Board as created by Section 49-17-28 .

(l) “ Commission ” means the Commission on Environmental Quality.

(m) “ Mining of aquifer ” means the withdrawal of groundwater from hydrologically connected water-bearing formations in a manner in excess of the standards established by the commission.

(n) “ Groundwater ” means that water occurring beneath the surface of the ground.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-77 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 26 / Section 29-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-77
Status: in_force

In case it is necessary to do so in order to obtain a proper outlet for the drainage system, the commissioners may construct ditches or do other work beyond the border of their district so as to carry the water to some proper outlet or otherwise to secure the object of the improvement. In that event, they shall have the right to condemn a right of way for such drain or other construction, and the proceedings thereof shall be the same that are now provided by law. Such a ditch or drain beyond the limits of the district shall be the property of the district, and no person not assessed shall have the right to dig any lateral drain connecting therewith without the consent of the commissioners. If such property owner cannot agree with the commissioners as to the price to be paid for the privilege of connecting with such ditch, the board of supervisors of the county where such connection is sought to be made shall fix the amount of such compensation, and either shall have the right to appeal from its findings to the circuit court.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-191 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 9-191
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-191
Status: in_force

Words and phrases used in this article shall have meanings as follows:

(a) “Act” means the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Act (this article) as originally enacted or hereafter amended.

(b) “Board of directors” means the board of directors of the district.

(c) “Bonds” means revenue bonds, interim notes (having a maturity of three (3) years or less) and other certificates of indebtedness of the district issued under this act.

(d) “District” means the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District.

(e) “Person” means and includes the State of Mississippi, any city, town, county, political subdivision or public agency of the state or of the United States of America, and any corporation, individual, partnership, association, firm, trust estate or any other entity whatsoever.

(f) “Public agency” means any city, town, public agency or political subdivision of the state authorized by law to supply water to persons within the geographical boundaries of such city, town, public agency or political subdivision.

(g) “Water supply system” means pipelines, conduits, pumping stations and all other structures, devices and appliances appurtenant thereto, including land and right-of-way thereto, for use in transporting water to public agencies, with respect to the district, or to a point of ultimate use with respect to any other public agency.

(h) “Waterworks” means, with respect to the district, all works, plants or other facilities, including open channels, necessary for the purpose of collecting, storing, treating and transporting water to public agencies and means, with respect to any other public agency, all works, plants or other facilities necessary for the purpose of collecting, storing, treating and transporting water to persons for municipal, commercial, domestic, industrial, agricultural or manufacturing purposes.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-43 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 17 / Section 29-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-43
Status: in_force

Any landowner feeling aggrieved at the decree of the chancellor shall have the right to appeal in the manner provided in this chapter. No appeal shall interfere with the right of the district to enter upon and take possession of the property sought to be taken, or hinder the district in the doing of any act necessary and proper in the construction of the proposed system and the carrying out of the purposes of its organization, provided, however, that the district shall have first paid into the court the amount of the appraisement. Drainage districts organized under the provisions of this chapter shall have the power to acquire any and all lands, lying either within or without the limits of such districts, necessary to the carrying out of the successful drainage of the district, in the manner above provided. In addition to the method above prescribed for the acquisition of lands for the purpose of the district, drainage districts shall have and are hereby given and granted the right of eminent domain, and they may proceed to acquire rights of way by proceeding under the code before the court of eminent domain.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-41 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 31-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-41
Status: in_force

Upon entering such order of record upon the minutes of said court, said district is hereby declared by law to be organized as a drainage district, by the name mentioned in such petition and order of the court or chancellor in vacation and by the boundaries fixed by the order confirming the report of said commissioners, and is hereby declared to be a body politic and corporate by the name mentioned in said order of the court, with the right to have perpetual succession and to adopt and use a corporate seal. The commissioners and their successors in office shall, from the entry of such order of confirmation, constitute the corporate authorities of said district and shall exercise the functions conferred upon them by this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-137 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 26 / Section 29-137
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-137
Status: in_force

When the boundaries of the existing drainage district are extended so as to embrace and include additional territory and land, said district shall have all the rights, powers, and privileges so far as said land is concerned as said district had of the lands originally embraced and included therein, and shall have full power to make and levy assessments thereon and to issue additional bonds, as is now provided by law for the formation and organization of drainage districts under the provisions of this chapter. When the boundaries of any existing drainage district are extended and additional lands and territory added thereto to be drained and improved, the several parcels of land of such drainage districts as were included within the limits of the district as originally organized and formed shall be liable to the district as already organized for assessments of benefits to be thereafter levied, if any benefits are received by them; and in like manner shall receive credit for any work done or improvements made or constructed by the district as already organized, which will benefit the land and territory added thereto in the manner herein provided.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-115 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 27 / Section 29-115
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-115
Status: in_force

Subdistricts may be formed under this chapter in the following manner: When one third of the landowners owning a majority of the acreage or a majority of the landowners owning a third of the acreage or real property within a proposed subdistrict, composed of lands wholly within a district or partly within and partly without such district, shall petition the chancery court to establish a subdistrict to embrace their property, describing generally the region which it is intended shall be embraced within the subdistrict, and shall file a good bond to pay for the expenses of the survey of the proposed subdistrict in case the district is not formed, it shall be the duty of the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, to enter an order directing the commissioners of the main district to forthwith proceed to cause a survey to be made and to ascertain the limits of the region which will be benefited by a proposed system of improvements, giving a general idea of its character and the costs of drainage, and making such suggestions as to the size of the drainage ditches and their location as the commissioners may deem advisable, and to file their report with the clerk of the chancery court. All expenses of preparing such plans and estimates and costs of publication shall be paid by the board of supervisors, as the work progresses, upon proper showing by the commissioners of said district; but all expenses incurred by said subdistrict shall be repaid out of the proceeds of the first money received by the proposed subdistrict.

The clerk of the chancery court shall thereupon give notice by publication for two weeks by two insertions in some newspaper published in the county or counties in which said subdistrict will be located, calling upon all persons owning real property within said subdistrict to appear before the chancery court, or chancellor in vacation, on some day fixed by said clerk not less than ten days after the last publication to show cause in favor of or against the establishing of the subdistrict. If it shall appear to the court or chancellor that the organization of the proposed subdistrict will conduce to the public benefit and to the interest of real property therein, it shall make an order upon its records establishing said subdistrict. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to prohibit the formation and organization of a drainage district wholly or partly within a district already organized. A district independent of the district already organized may be organized where a part or all of the lands are not in the district already organized, provided that a third of the landowners owning a majority of the acreage or a majority of the landowners owning a third of the acreage or real property within such proposed district shall petition the chancery court of any county of such district to constitute them a drainage district under the terms of this chapter, and thereupon proceedings shall be had in all respects in conformity with this chapter for the creation of a drainage district under its terms. When such a district is organized as now provided by law for the organization of drainage districts, it shall have all the rights, powers, and privileges of any other district, having its commissioners and other officers selected in the manner now provided by law; and such district shall have full power to make and levy assessments, issue bonds independent of any other district, and to do all other things now provided by law for the formation and organization of drainage districts. When any such district is organized, the several parcels of land thereof that are included within the corporate limits of any district shall still be liable to the district already organized for assessments for benefits thereafter levied, if any are received by them; and in like manner shall receive credit for any work done which is a benefit to the district already organized. The foregoing provisions of this chapter shall apply to the organization of the subdistrict, the same as to the organization of the district.

When the court or chancellor has established a subdistrict, he shall appoint the commissioners of the subdistrict; and the proceedings thereafter shall conform in all respects to the provisions of this chapter relating to the drainage district. Said commissioners are empowered and authorized to issue bonds of said subdistrict, and said bonds shall be designated as the bonds of said subdistrict; and all the foregoing provisions of this chapter in reference to the issuance of the bonds of said drainage district shall apply to and govern the issuance of bonds of each particular subdistrict. The proceeds of the sale or money obtained on the bonds of any subdistrict shall be used and applied exclusively to the work of constructing and maintaining the internal drains of said subdistrict in the carrying out and perfecting its internal drains. Separate accounts shall be kept by the treasurer and depositories of said commission with each subdrainage district, so that there can be seen at all times the exact financial condition of each subdistrict, both as to its receipts and disbursements.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-5-5 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 5-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-5-5
Status: in_force

(1) In carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the commission shall have, but shall not be limited to, the following powers:

(a) Make reasonable rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Prepare required forms and establish other procedures to govern the submission of applications, reports, and other information authorized to be sent the commission as required by this chapter.

(c) Prepare and give reasonable oral and/or written examinations for license applicants.

(d) Deposit all fees in a special fund for the implementation of this chapter.

(e) Enter upon and be given access to any premises for the purpose of inspecting water wells.

(f) Require and approve the completion of continuing education units for license renewal applicants.

(2) If the commission finds that compliance with all the requirements of this chapter would result in undue hardship, an exemption from any one or more of such requirements may be granted by the commission to the extent necessary to ameliorate such undue hardship and to the extent such exemption can be granted without impairing the intent and purpose of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-19 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 7-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-19
Status: in_force

At the time named in said notice, or on a subsequent date to which the cause may be continued, the chancellor shall hear all property owners within the district who wish to appear and advocate or resist the carrying out of the work plans as filed within said district, and if he deems it to the best interest of the owners of the real property within said district that said plans be adopted, or adopted as modified by the chancellor, under the provisions of this chapter, he shall make an order approving said report as submitted or as modified. Thereupon the organization of said master water management district shall be deemed to be fully completed, and henceforth the district shall be a governmental subdivision of the state and a public body, corporate and politic, with authority to do and perform in the name of such district all such acts and things for the accomplishment of the purposes for which it was organized. However, if the chancellor shall disapprove said report and shall decline to allow its modification or resubmission, then such district shall not be organized and the terms of office of the commissioners shall terminate, except as to powers which may be necessary in effecting payment of any preliminary indebtedness as provided in Section 51-7-15 , except that such termination shall not become final until the expiration of the time for an appeal without an appeal having been taken or, in the event an appeal is taken, until final determination of the proceeding has been made by the courts.

If upon the hearing provided for in this section, a petition is presented to the chancery court, or the chancellor in vacation, signed by a majority of the landowners owning one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the land, or, one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landholders owning a majority of the land, praying that the improvements be made, it shall be the duty of the court or chancellor to make the order establishing the district, without further inquiry, if it appear that the establishment thereof be necessary for the promotion of public health and for agricultural purposes. However, if upon that day a petition signed by a majority of the landowners owning one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the land, or one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landowners owning a majority of the land, be presented praying that the improvements be not made, it shall be the duty of the court or chancellor to so order, but if no such petition is filed it shall be the duty of the court or chancellor to investigate and to establish such district if he is of the opinion the establishment thereof will be to the advantage of the owners of real property therein, and is for the public benefit. The petition provided for therein may be signed by women, whether married or single, owning land in the proposed district, guardians may sign for their wards, and trustees, executors and administrators may sign for the estate represented by them; if the signature of any corporation thereto is attested by the corporate seal, the same shall be sufficient evidence of the assent of the corporation to said petition.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-15 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 8-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-15
Status: in_force

All costs incident to the publication of the notices and all other costs incident to the public hearing and election provided in Sections 51-8-7 and 51-8-11 may be paid by the applicable governing body.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-11 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 8-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-11
Status: in_force

Upon the making of such finding, the governing body of each interested local governmental unit shall publish the finding accompanied by the initial resolution specified in Section 51-8-5 in the manner provided in Section 19-5-157 .

If twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is lesser, of the qualified electors of a local governmental unit file a written petition with the governing body of such unit on or before the date specified for creation of the district, an election shall be held in the same manner prescribed by Section 19-5-157 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-35 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 8-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-35
Status: in_force

(1) Any such district shall have the power to provide funds for the purpose of constructing, acquiring, reconstructing, improving, bettering or extending the facilities of such district or for the purpose of buying, leasing or otherwise acquiring the assets and facilities of any nonprofit, nonshare corporation chartered under Title 79, Chapter 11, or any other utility district by the issuance of revenue bonds. Such bonds shall be payable solely and only from the revenues of such facilities, and such revenues may be pledged from a portion of the service area of the district to the support of debt service for a specific series or issue of bonds if such apportionment is economically feasible.

(2) Any such district shall have the power to provide funds, in addition to or in conjunction with the funds authorized in subsection (1) of this section, for water supply or pollution abatement projects by issuing special improvement pollution abatement bonds, special improvement water bonds, or combinations of special improvement water and sewer bonds, if the resolution creating the district authorized the governing bodies of the local governmental bodies to make assessments against benefitted properties as outlined in Section 51-8-45 . Such bonds shall be payable solely and only from charges assessed to benefitted properties as outlined in said Section 51-8-45 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-27-1 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 27-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-27-1
Status: in_force

(1) The governor, on behalf of this state, is hereby authorized to execute a compact in substantially the following form with the State of Alabama; and the legislature hereby signifies in advance its approval and ratification of such compact, which compact is as follows:

TOMBIGBEE-TENNESSEE WATERWAY DEVELOPMENT COMPACT

Article I. The purpose of this compact is to promote the development of a navigable waterway connecting the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers by way of the east fork of the Tombigbee River and Mackeys and Yellow Creeks so as to provide a nine-foot navigable channel from the junction of the Tombigbee and Warrior Rivers at Demopolis in the State of Alabama to the junction of Yellow Creek with the Tennessee River at Pickwick Pool in the State of Mississippi, and to establish a joint interstate authority to assist in these efforts.

Article II. This compact shall become effective immediately as to the states ratifying it whenever the States of Alabama and Mississippi have ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto. Any state not mentioned in this article which is contiguous with any member state may become a party to this compact, subject to approval by the legislature of each of the member states.

Article III. The states which are parties to this compact (hereinafter referred to as “party states”) do hereby establish and create a joint agency which shall be known as the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority (hereinafter referred to as the “authority”). The membership of such authority shall consist of the governor of each party state and five other citizens of each party state, to be appointed by the governor thereof. Each appointive member of the authority shall be a citizen of that state who is interested in the promotion and development of waterways and water transportation. The appointive members of the authority shall serve for terms of four years each. Vacancies on the authority shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired portion of the term. The members of the authority shall not be compensated, but each shall be entitled to actual expenses incurred in attending meetings, or incurred otherwise in the performance of his duties as a member of the authority. The members of the authority shall hold regular quarterly meetings and such special meetings as its business may require. They shall choose annually a chairman and vice-chairman from among their members, and the chairmanship shall rotate each year among the party states in order of their acceptance of this compact. The secretary of the authority (hereinafter provided for) shall notify each member in writing of all meetings of the authority in such a manner and under such rules and regulations as the authority may prescribe. The authority shall adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of its business; and the secretary shall keep a record of all its business and shall furnish a copy thereof to each member of the authority. It shall be the duty of the authority, in general, to promote, encourage, and coordinate the efforts of the party states to secure the development of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Toward this end, the authority shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies and surveys of all problems, benefits, and other matters associated with the development of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and to make reports thereon; to acquire, by gift or otherwise, and hold and dispose of such money and property as may be provided for the proper performance of their function; to cooperate with other public or private groups, whether local, state, regional, or national, having an interest in waterways development; to formulate and execute plans and policies for emphasizing the purpose of this compact before the Congress of the United States and other appropriate officers and agencies of the United States; and to exercise such other powers as may be appropriate to enable it to accomplish its functions and duties in connection with the development of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and to carry out the purposes of this compact.

Article IV. The authority shall appoint a secretary, who shall be a person familiar with the nature, procedures, and significance of inland waterways development and the informational, educational, and publicity methods of stimulating general interest in such developments, and who shall be the compact administrator. His term of office shall be at the pleasure of the authority and he shall receive such compensation as the authority shall prescribe. He shall maintain custody of the authority's books, records, and papers, which he shall keep at the office of the authority, and he shall perform all functions and duties, and exercise all powers and authorities, that may be delegated to him by the authority.

Article V. Each party state agrees that, when authorized by its legislature, it will from time to time make available and pay over to the authority such funds as may be required for the establishment and operation of the authority. The contribution of each party state shall be in the proportion that its population bears to the total population of the states which are parties hereto, as shown by the most recent official report of the United States Bureau of the Census, or upon such other basis as may be agreed upon.

Article VI. Nothing in this compact shall be construed so as to conflict with any existing statute, or to limit the powers of any party state, or to repeal or prevent legislation, or to authorize or permit curtailment or diminution of any other waterway project, or to affect any existing or future cooperative arrangement or relationship between any federal agency and a party state.

Article VII. This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each party state until the legislature or governor of each or either state takes action to withdraw therefrom; provided that such withdrawal shall not become effective until six months after the date of the action taken by the legislature or governor. Notice of such action shall be given to the other party state or states by the secretary of state of the party state which takes such action.

(2) There is hereby granted to the governor, to the members of the authority for Mississippi, and to the compact administrator all the powers provided for in said compact and in this section. All officers of the State of Mississippi are hereby authorized and directed to do all things falling within their respective jurisdictions which are necessary or incidental to carrying out the purpose of said compact.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-21.5 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 4-21.5
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-4-21.5
Status: in_force

In accordance with Section 51-4-7 , Red Creek from Mississippi Highway 26 in Stone County to its confluence with Black Creek in Jackson County is designated as eligible for nomination to the State Scenic Streams Stewardship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-103 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 13-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-103
Status: in_force

The Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District may hereafter be organized in this state under the provisions of this article, in the manner hereinafter provided for. This water management district shall be an agency of the state and a body politic and corporate.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-19 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 8-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-19
Status: in_force

From and after the date of adoption of the resolution creating a joint water management district, such district shall be a public corporation in perpetuity in its corporate name and shall, in that name, be a body politic and corporate with power of perpetual succession.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-107 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 15-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-107
Status: in_force

The Pat Harrison Waterway Commission, acting through its members who favor bringing the counties they represent into the Pat Harrison Waterway District, or other counties having Pascagoula River, Leaf River, Chickasawhay River, or Tallahala Creek tributaries, shall petition the Chancery Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, to organize and establish the Pat Harrison Waterway District and shall set forth in the petition:

(a) The counties to be included in the Pat Harrison Waterway District. Each member of the Pat Harrison Waterway Commission, as created by virtue of Sections 51-15-1 through 51-15-9 , and any county through which the Pascagoula, Leaf, and Chickasawhay Rivers and Tallahala Creek run, or other counties having tributaries to such streams or which border on said streams, may be included in the district.

(b) The necessity and desirability for the developments and construction of suitable facilities.

(c) A general description of the purposes of the contemplated works, and a general description of the plan.

The petition shall be filed with as many copies as there are parties defendant.

The Board of Water Commissioners of the State of Mississippi shall be made a party defendant, and the chancery clerk shall furnish the Board of Water Commissioners with a copy of the petition with attached exhibits. Each county named in the petition shall be joined as a party defendant by service of process on the president of the board of supervisors thereof, and the chancery clerk shall furnish a copy of the petition to each such president. Whenever any municipality having a population according to the most recent federal decennial census of ten thousand (10,000) or more is included in such proposed district, such municipality shall be made a party defendant.

From and after July 1, 2023, any municipality located in a county that is not a member of the district may, by resolution spread on its minutes, request that the Pat Harrison Waterway Commission petition the Chancery Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, to modify its decree organizing the district to include the municipality as a member of the district. The Board of Water Commissioners of the State of Mississippi shall be made a party defendant, and the chancery clerk shall furnish the Board of Water Commissioners with a copy of the petition with attached exhibits. The municipality applying for membership shall not be made a party defendant.

It shall not be necessary that any landowners in the counties or municipalities to be included in said proposed district be named in the petition, or be made parties defendant. The chancellor of the Chancery Court of Forrest County, Mississippi, shall have jurisdiction of the entire waterway district for the purposes of this article. Such jurisdiction may be exercised by the chancellor in term time or in vacation, as provided in this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-123 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 9-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-123
Status: in_force

All construction contracts by the district, where the amount of the contract shall exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00), shall be made upon at least three weeks' public notice by advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the district, which notice shall state the thing to be done and invite sealed proposals, to be filed with the secretary of the district, to do the work; and in all such cases, before the notice shall be published, the plans and specification for the work shall be filed with the secretary of the district and there remain. The board of directors of the district shall award the contract to the lowest bidder, who will comply with the terms imposed by such board and enter into bond with sufficient sureties, to be approved by the board, in such penalty as shall be fixed by such board, but in no case to be less than the contract price, conditioned for the prompt, proper, and efficient performance of the contract.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-201 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 9 / Section 9-201
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-201
Status: in_force

(1) Any public agency may, pursuant to a duly adopted resolution of the governing authority of such public agency, enter into contracts with the district for the district to acquire, construct, lease, improve, extend, operate or maintain a waterworks or water supply system or any part thereof or interest therein for the furnishing of water to the public agency; such contracts shall obligate the public agency to make payments to the district or to a trustee in amounts which shall be sufficient to enable the district to defray the expenses of administering, operating and maintaining its waterworks and water supply system, to pay interest and principal (whether at maturity or upon sinking fund redemption) on bonds of the district issued pursuant to this act and to fund reserves for debt service, for operation and maintenance and for renewals and replacements, and to fulfill requirements of any rate covenant with respect to debt service coverage contained in any resolution, trust indenture or other security agreement relating to the bonds of the district issued pursuant to this act. Any public agency shall have the power to enter into such contracts with the district as in the discretion of the governing authorities thereof would be in the best interest of such public agency. Such contracts may include a pledge of the full faith and credit of such public agency for payment of such amounts due under such contracts. Any such contract may provide for the sale or lease to or use of by the district of the waterworks, the water supply system or any part thereof of the public agency; may provide that the district shall operate the waterworks, water supply system or any part thereof of the public agency; may provide that any public agency shall have the right to continued use and/or priority use of the waterworks, water supply system or any part thereof of the district and the water supply made available thereby during the useful life thereof upon payment of reasonable charges therefor; may contain provisions to assure equitable treatment of persons or public agencies who contract with the district pursuant to this act; and may contain such other provisions and requirements as the parties thereto may determine to be appropriate or necessary. Such contracts may extend over any period of time, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, and may extend beyond the life of the waterworks or water supply system or any part thereof or the term of the bonds sold with respect to such facilities or improvements thereto.

(2) The obligations of a public agency arising under the terms of any contract referred to in this act, whether or not payable solely from a pledge of revenues, shall not be included within the indebtedness limitations of the public agency for purposes of any constitutional or statutory limitation or provision. To the extent provided in such contract and to the extent such obligations of the public agency are payable solely from the revenues and other moneys derived by the public agency from the operation of its waterworks or water supply system or any part thereof, such obligations shall be treated as expenses of operating such systems.

(3) Contracts referred to in this section may also provide for payments in the form of contributions to defray the cost of any purpose set forth in the contracts and as advances for the waterworks or water supply system or any part thereof subject to repayment by the district. A public agency may make such contributions or advances from its general fund or surplus fund or from any moneys legally available therefor.

(4) Payments made or to be made to the district by a public agency or other person pursuant to a contract for the waterworks or water supply system or any part thereof and the use of the water made available thereby shall be determined by the method specified in such contract and shall not be subject to approval or review by the Mississippi Public Service Commission.

(5) Subject to the terms of a contract or contracts referred to in this act, the district is hereby authorized to do and perform any and all acts or things necessary, convenient or desirable to carry out the purposes of such contracts, including the fixing, charging, collecting, maintaining and revising of rates, fees and other charges for the services rendered and water supplied to any user of the waterworks or water supply system operated or maintained by the district, whether or not such systems are owned by the district.

(6) The district shall plan any construction of any such waterworks or water supply system, shall enter into such contracts and shall arrange such financing as to assure that the district shall receive in payment under such contracts revenues sufficient to defray all direct and indirect costs, whether administrative, operational or otherwise, of administering, operating and maintaining such waterworks and water supply system, to pay interest and principal (whether at maturity or upon sinking fund redemption) on bonds of the district issued pursuant to this act and to fund reserves for debt service, for operation and maintenance and for renewals and replacements, and to fulfill requirements of any rate covenant with respect to debt service coverage contained in any resolution, trust indenture or other security agreement relating to the bonds of the district issued pursuant to this act. To that end, the district may not expend money, including taxes levied pursuant to Section 51-9-131, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for construction, operation or maintenance of any waterworks or water supply system authorized, acquired, constructed or improved under this act in excess of the revenues received by the district pursuant to contracts authorized by this act or otherwise available from the operation of such waterworks or water supply system.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-19 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 31-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-31-19
Status: in_force

The drainage commissioners may employ an attorney to assist in the formation and administration of the drainage district, and to represent the district in all matters of a legal nature, at a fixed or agreed compensation, subject to the confirmation of the chancery court or chancellor in vacation, who may decrease but not increase such compensation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-1 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 41-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-41-1
Status: in_force

It is the intent of the Legislature to provide a means, in addition to the incorporation of districts authorized in Sections 19-5-151 through 19-5-207 , by which not-for-profit corporations or associations involved in the sale, transmission and distribution of potable water to members of the public and others may convert their entity status from that of a body corporate to that of a body politic, thereby allowing those entities the opportunity to access the tax-exempt capital markets and thereby assuring the State of Mississippi and the customers of those entities of adequate supplies of water at the lowest water rates possible.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-51 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 4 / Section 8-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-8-51
Status: in_force

All construction contracts by the district shall be made in accordance with the laws governing public contracts for counties and municipalities, being Sections 31-5-3 through 31-5-57 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-121 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 13-121
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-121
Status: in_force

In each county of the State of Mississippi which is part of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District, beginning with the ad valorem tax assessment for the calendar year 1964, payable on or before February 1, 1965, and so long as any bonds issued hereunder and other obligations are outstanding, the tax collector of said county shall pay into the depository selected by said water district for said purpose the amount of two mills of all ad valorem taxes due by said county to the State of Mississippi which is collected by the tax collector of said county, which may be collected by any lawful taxing agency of said county and state and for said county and the State of Mississippi shall continue to levy not less than two mills ad valorem taxes on each county in the district so long as any obligations or bonds issued pursuant to this article remain outstanding.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-103 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 15-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-103
Status: in_force

The Pat Harrison Waterway Commission may hereafter be organized in this state under the provisions of this article, in the manner hereafter provided for. This water management district shall be an agency of the state and a body politic and corporate, and may be composed and is composed of the following counties, to wit: Clarke, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Newton, Perry, Smith, Stone, and Wayne. In addition, a municipality located in a county that is not a member of the district may join the district as provided in this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-17 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 35-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-17
Status: in_force

(1) The board of supervisors of any county in which is located a national park, a national cemetery, and which is located on the Mississippi River and through any part of which any river or other stream may run, or any part of which any river or other stream may touch or border, on which the United States of America has authorized or may hereafter authorize navigation or flood control improvements is hereby authorized and empowered to give satisfactory assurances to the United States of America, or any agency thereof, that it will:

(a) Provide, without cost to the United States, all lands, easements, and rights of way necessary for the construction of the project;

(b) Hold and save the United States free from damages due to the construction works;

(c) Maintain and operate all of the works after completion in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Army; and

(d) Acquire such added area as may be necessary for the public benefit and use in accordance with the requirements of the United States, or any agency thereof, in connection with any such project.

Any such board of supervisors is also hereby authorized and empowered to accept the conveyance of any lands, easements, and rights of way over and on behalf of any lands that may be benefited by the maintenance of such works; to accept assurances from landowners whose property is benefited by such flood control improvements; to levy, assess, and collect such taxes on said area so benefited as will be necessary; to save and hold the United States free from all damages due to the construction of the works; to exercise the right of eminent domain for the condemnation of rights of way and easements in like manner as is exercised by board of supervisors for the condemnation of public road rights of way; to maintain such works in said county after completion; and generally to accept agreements for landowners benefited by such flood works to save the county harmless on account of said assurances given by the county as aforesaid to the United States of America, or any agency thereof. Any such board of supervisors may exercise all of the powers granted by virtue of Section 59-7-203, Mississippi Code of 1972 , in connection with the fulfillment of any of the aforementioned assurances.

(2) In addition to levying, assessing, and collecting such taxes on the area directly so benefited, the board of supervisors of such county may, if deemed necessary to fairly bear or supplement the cost of the providing of all necessary lands, easements, and rights of way for the construction of the project and maintaining and operating the works after completion, levy a county-wide tax for such purposes; but such county-wide tax shall not be levied, assessed, or collected until after such board of supervisors shall have published notice for three weeks to the taxpayers of said county of its intention so to do, of the maximum rate of said tax, and of the year or numbers of years, not exceeding five years, in which it is then intended to levy and assess such tax, including the maximum rate proposed for each projected year, in some newspaper published in said county and having a general circulation therein. Unless 20% of the qualified electors of said county shall protest against such assessments at a time to be fixed by the board, at least 10 days and not more than 20 days from the date of the last publication, then the authority of such board to levy, assess, and collect such taxes shall exist, but not to exceed the maximum millage rate specified according to the advertisement. Should 20% of the qualified electors protest against such levies, taxes, or assessments, then a special election shall be called for the purpose of presenting such issue to the qualified voters of such county, and the right to make such county-wide levies and assessments and to collect said taxes shall not exist unless authorized at such special election by a majority of the qualified electors actually voting in such election.

(3) Should the voters of such county protest against and, at the special election, disapprove such county-wide assessments, then the issue of such county-wide assessments and levies shall not be reconsidered by the board of supervisors of such county and again presented until the lapse of at least one year from the date that such county-wide tax was disapproved at the special election called for that purpose. Upon the expiration of each period specified in the notice of intention to levy and collect such county-wide taxes for the purposes herein authorized, the board of supervisors of any such county may continue to levy and collect such taxes upon first again following the procedure in this section outlined.

(4) This section shall not serve to repeal Section 51-35-15 , but is in amplification and extension of the authority and powers therein granted.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-347 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 33 / Section 35-347
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-35-347
Status: in_force

The district shall have authority to act jointly with political subdivisions of the state, its agencies, and commissions and instrumentalities thereof, with other states, with municipalities, with the United States of America, and agencies, departments, and instrumentalities thereof, in the performance of the purposes and services authorized in this article, upon such terms as may be agreed upon by the directors.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-133 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 13-133
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-133
Status: in_force

All bonds issued pursuant to this article shall be validated as now provided by law of Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11, Mississippi Code of 1972 . The services of the state's bond attorney may be employed in the preparation of such bond resolutions, forms or proceedings as may be necessary, for which he shall be paid a reasonable fee. Such validation proceedings shall be instituted in the chancery court of the county in which the principal office of the district is located, but notice of such validation proceedings shall be published at least two times in a newspaper of general circulation and published in each of the counties comprising the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District, the first publication of which in each case shall be made at least ten days preceding the date set for the validation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-123 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 9-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-123
Status: in_force

All construction contracts by the district, where the amount of the contract shall exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00), shall be made upon at least three weeks' public notice by advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the district, which notice shall state the thing to be done and invite sealed proposals, to be filed with the secretary of the district, to do the work; and in all such cases, before the notice shall be published, the plans and specification for the work shall be filed with the secretary of the district and there remain. The board of directors of the district shall award the contract to the lowest bidder, who will comply with the terms imposed by such board and enter into bond with sufficient sureties, to be approved by the board, in such penalty as shall be fixed by such board, but in no case to be less than the contract price, conditioned for the prompt, proper, and efficient performance of the contract.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-99 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 25 / Section 29-99
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-99
Status: in_force

Any person who shall obstruct a drain or damage drainage work provided for by this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof, be fined not more than one hundred dollars nor less than ten dollars; and he shall also be liable to the district for double the cost of removing such obstruction or repairing such damage.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-23 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 29 / Section 29-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-29-23
Status: in_force

If for any cause the improvements shall not be made, said costs shall be charged on the real property in the district, including railroads, if any, and shall be raised and paid by assessments in the manner hereinafter described; or, in the event said assessments are not made, or the improvements shall not be completed or the same be abandoned, for any cause, after such indebtedness is incurred, the board of supervisors of the county in which the drainage district is located shall levy an acreage tax, or an ad valorem tax, on the lands in said proposed district if the same has not been organized, or on the lands of the district if the same has been organized, the total collections from which shall be sufficient to pay such indebtedness. The board of supervisors may levy a sufficient tax in one year or may levy a succession of acreage taxes, or ad valorem taxes, over a period of years, not to exceed three years, to be determined by said board of supervisors. If an ad valorem tax be levied, the board of supervisors may use for that purpose the assessments of the land of the last assessment roll of the county in which said lands are situated. In case the lands in the proposed district lie in more than one county, then the chancellor aforesaid shall apportion said indebtedness between the several counties, and the boards of supervisors of the several counties shall thereupon levy such apportioned tax upon the lands of their counties respectively, according to the ruling of the said chancellor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-13 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 7-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-13
Status: in_force

If the chancery court determines that any objections filed are not sufficient to defeat the organization of the district, and if it be determined by the chancery court to proceed with the organization of the proposed district, the chancery court shall enter an order appointing at least five commissioners who, as the board of commissioners of said master water management district, shall be its governing body. Each of said commissioners shall be a qualified elector of this state and a landowner in the territory proposed to be included in said district, and there shall be at least one such commissioner who is a landowner within each drainage district or water management district having territory in such master water management district and at least one who is a landowner within the territory to be included in such master water management district which is not within an existing drainage or water management district.

The term of office of commissioners of a master water management district shall be four years, except that in making the first appointments the chancery court shall appoint at least three commissioners for terms of one, two, and three years respectively, in order that the terms of all commissioners shall not expire at once; and each commissioner shall serve for the term for which he is appointed and until his successor has been appointed and has qualified. Subsequent appointments and appointments to fill vacancies in office shall be made by the chancery court in the court district of original jurisdiction in the creation of the master water management district. If a majority of the landowners in any such district or proposed district by number petition the court for the appointment of any particular qualified person, such person shall be appointed by the court, provided the requirements of the first paragraph of this section are fulfilled.

The commissioners shall take the oath of office required by section 268 of article 14 of the constitution of the state and shall give bond in the penalty of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) payable to the state for the use and benefit of the master water management district, such bond to be filed with and approved by the chancery clerk of the county in which the petition was filed. The commissioners shall immediately organize and select one of their number as president and another of their number as secretary for a term not to exceed four years. Commissioners shall receive compensation for their services at the rate of twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50) per diem provided for commissioners of drainage districts for time spent on the work of the board, in addition to their actual expenses, including traveling expenses, necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-25 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 5 / Section 7-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-25
Status: in_force

In addition to other powers provided in this chapter, the commissioners shall have power to adopt a seal of the district, which shall be judicially noticed; to fix the domicile of the master water management district; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of their powers; to adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of the chapter and the purposes of the district, if not inconsistent with the laws and constitution of this state; to sue and be sued in the name of the district; to employ such engineers, legal counsel, or other persons as may be necessary in accomplishing the work of the district; to obtain options upon and to acquire by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, or by the exercise of the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by the statutes of this state on eminent domain, any property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein reasonably necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter; to maintain, administer, and improve any property acquired, to receive income from such properties, and to expend such income in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this chapter; to conduct surveys, investigations, and research necessary in carrying out the purposes of the chapter; to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any property or interests therein in furtherance of the purposes and provisions of this chapter; to construct, operate, and maintain works of improvement; to perform responsibilities in operating and maintaining all pre-existing works of improvement which, with the approval of the chancery court and the consent of the master water management district, may be turned over to such district; to accept, with approval of the chancery court, gifts and conveyances of land, easements, or rights of way owned by an existing drainage or water management district that are to be used by the master water management district for the purposes of the master water management district, on condition that the master water management district assume the responsibility for maintaining the works of improvement that are constructed on such lands, easements, or rights of way; to accept any moneys or services for carrying out the purposes of the district; to cooperate or enter into agreements with any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any person, firm, or corporation in carrying out the purposes of this chapter; and to do any and all things which are not inconsistent with the laws or constitution of this state in carrying out the purposes for which such districts were created in connection with projects and works of improvement carried out under Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended or under other laws of the United States.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-143 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 13 / Section 13-143
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-143
Status: in_force

The board of directors of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District is hereby authorized and empowered to negotiate and contract with the United States of America, or any agency thereof, concerning all lands, easements, and rights of way necessary for the relocation of any federal road, highway, parkway, or for the facilities appurtenant thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-3 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 7 / Section 15-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-15-3
Status: in_force

The Pat Harrison Waterway Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to do any and all things necessary and desirable in making a survey or surveys of the Pascagoula, Leaf, and Chickasawhay Rivers, the Tallahala Creek, and their tributaries in co-operation with the federal government and other agencies of the State of Mississippi; to promote the establishment of barge canals linking the cities of Meridian, Hattiesburg, Laurel, and other cities and communities along the Pascagoula, Leaf, and Chickasawhay Rivers, the Tallahala Creek, and their tributaries with the Gulf of Mexico. Each county represented on said commission, or two or more such counties acting in concert, pursuant to a plan to be approved by said commission, are authorized to improve all or any part of such waterways within said county or counties for navigation or flood control purposes.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-183 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 9-183
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-9-183
Status: in_force

The powers and authority of any reservoir police officer, whether appointed or commissioned pursuant to the provisions of this article or any former law of this state, may be terminated at any time by the board of directors of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-15 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 3-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-15
Status: in_force

(1) The board shall serve as the permitting authority for this chapter. The board may adopt rules of practice and procedure governing its proceedings and forms as it deems necessary consistent with the regulations of the commission to carry out its permitting duties under this chapter. The board, under any conditions as the board may prescribe, may authorize the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to make decisions on permit issuance, reissuance, denial, modification and revocation. A decision by the executive director shall be a decision of the board and shall be subject to formal hearing and appeal as provided in Section 49-17-29 . The executive director shall report all permit decisions to the board at its next regularly scheduled meeting and those decisions shall be recorded in the minutes of the board.

(2) The board may:

(a) Issue or reissue any permit under those conditions and limitations consistent with the regulations of the commission and as it reasonably deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.

(b) Issue or reissue any temporary or emergency permit for any period of time specified by the board where conditions make a temporary or emergency permit essential.

(c) Modify or revoke any permit upon not less than sixty (60) days' written notice to the permittee affected.

(d) Revoke any permit as the board deems appropriate for failure to adhere to permit conditions.

(e) Deny the issuance, reissuance or modification of any permit if the proposed use is found to be contrary to public interest.

(f) Delegate authority to any joint water management district to receive, investigate and make recommendations to the board regarding applications for permits required under this chapter.

(g) Require all abandoned bore holes and wells more than twenty-five (25) feet deep to be properly plugged to prevent groundwater contamination.

(3) The board may hold a public hearing regarding its proposed action on any permit under this chapter as provided in Section 49-17-29 . Any interested party aggrieved by an action of the board may appeal that action as provided in Section 49-17-29 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-151 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 1 / Section 13-151
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-151
Status: in_force

Any municipality or county which is within the territorial limits of the district may advance funds to said district to pay the preliminary expenses, including engineers' reports, organization, or administration expenses, on such terms of repayment as the governing body of such municipality or county shall determine. Notwithstanding the provision of any law to the contrary, any such municipality or county is authorized and empowered to borrow money for a period not to exceed one year from the date of such borrowing, for the purpose of making such advances. The board of directors is hereby authorized to repay any such advances from the proceeds of any funds for bonds issued under the provisions of this article.

Any board of supervisors may, in its discretion, transfer any funds authorized by Sections 51-13-129 and 51-13-131 , to the depository of the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District to be expended for any of the purposes of the district. The said district is authorized to expend all funds coming into its depository for any legitimate purpose authorized by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-19 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-19
Status: in_force

At the time named in said notice, or on a subsequent date to which the cause may be continued, the chancellor shall hear all property owners within the district who wish to appear and advocate or resist the carrying out of the work plans as filed within said district, and if he deems it to the best interest of the owners of the real property within said district that said plans be adopted, or adopted as modified by the chancellor, under the provisions of this chapter, he shall make an order approving said report as submitted or as modified. Thereupon the organization of said master water management district shall be deemed to be fully completed, and henceforth the district shall be a governmental subdivision of the state and a public body, corporate and politic, with authority to do and perform in the name of such district all such acts and things for the accomplishment of the purposes for which it was organized. However, if the chancellor shall disapprove said report and shall decline to allow its modification or resubmission, then such district shall not be organized and the terms of office of the commissioners shall terminate, except as to powers which may be necessary in effecting payment of any preliminary indebtedness as provided in Section 51-7-15 , except that such termination shall not become final until the expiration of the time for an appeal without an appeal having been taken or, in the event an appeal is taken, until final determination of the proceeding has been made by the courts.

If upon the hearing provided for in this section, a petition is presented to the chancery court, or the chancellor in vacation, signed by a majority of the landowners owning one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the land, or, one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landholders owning a majority of the land, praying that the improvements be made, it shall be the duty of the court or chancellor to make the order establishing the district, without further inquiry, if it appear that the establishment thereof be necessary for the promotion of public health and for agricultural purposes. However, if upon that day a petition signed by a majority of the landowners owning one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the land, or one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the landowners owning a majority of the land, be presented praying that the improvements be not made, it shall be the duty of the court or chancellor to so order, but if no such petition is filed it shall be the duty of the court or chancellor to investigate and to establish such district if he is of the opinion the establishment thereof will be to the advantage of the owners of real property therein, and is for the public benefit. The petition provided for therein may be signed by women, whether married or single, owning land in the proposed district, guardians may sign for their wards, and trustees, executors and administrators may sign for the estate represented by them; if the signature of any corporation thereto is attested by the corporate seal, the same shall be sufficient evidence of the assent of the corporation to said petition.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-145 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 13 / Section 13-145
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-13-145
Status: in_force

The Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District shall have authority to act jointly with political subdivisions of the state and agencies, commissions, and instrumentalities thereof, and with the federal government and other agencies thereof in the performance of the purposes and services authorized in this article, upon such terms as may be agreed upon by the directors.

The board of directors of the district shall have the authority to negotiate and contract with the Secretary of the Army under the provisions of public law 653, 85th Congress, or other applicable law or regulation written pursuant thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-1 — MS Code / Title 51 / Chapter 2 / Section 7-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 51-7-1
Status: in_force

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the creation of master water management districts for the carrying out in an orderly manner of works of improvement for the purposes of drainage, prevention of floodwater damage, or the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water, including the impoundment, diversion, flowage, and distribution of waters for recreation, beautification, welfare, and other beneficial use as defined in Sections 51-3-1 through 51-3-53 . The authority herein granted to master water management districts shall be limited to plans for works of improvement developed and carried out in cooperation with the secretary of agriculture under the provisions of Public Law 566, 83rd Congress, as amended, or projects for any of the purposes provided for by this chapter which may be developed and carried out by or in cooperation with any agency or agencies of the United States government under other laws of the United States.