12 

OFFICE OF THE AITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

ars -gggg; g&E,- 

CQ~6& 4hs tollowIng &*t1*il, 

unty or the4 %bulge.DlstFlot reoe br$dgm, being btidgeb orfgy the drabage &ifJtFiOt at the ti?-M 

of organization and aeoepbed by the munty at 

Chat tine, ever dAtehe OS the district ormsin~; 

the county road abbre such brLdga ia either worn 

out or the dltoh ie beiag widened by the diertriot? 

Al60 in a oaae when a 5ntur6l drain 01: ore& 

Oro8seB the eountg mad agd suoh nattm& drain m creek 
13 

Eohox'able Andrew J. Riokuy, Page dl 

is used by the ,drainage district and the dietticit widena euoh natural drain whioh of the 

two, the ocunty.or district is required to 

widen or ru (10 the now e 

auph hatura Pa 

xi atins tkidge ovek 

~dxain? Xf yen will either renBox xm youx BapibiOri coverin& the questlone in 

this la84~par+g*aph ox send lao a oopy of.the 

0110 heretoB&i Fendered by the forxer A44orney @onera i4 ,wlll be greatly appreciated.* 

Aa u8ed II% the etatutoe hereihaiter quoted, the 

term *oomisBL3nersw mreTf$ to dralnsge oda8imers and 

the term Qoourt”- rsferi to the or,kQisslonsrs’ oourt, 

Artiole %1&T, Vernon*a hnnotatdd Oltil, Btatutes, 

provides at follmst 

-#Nsn suah mapa * profile'r smd ,e~sth4tes~ 

are 80 filed, t&e Court 8haSS make ha ~aq&w 

direotfng thq iesoanae of drainage bcnd*‘fqz 

mob. distriot, suffielent in mtoun4 to pay' for 

sooh ~~+~pooed i?~~rf~ementa; together ri4h all 

neousa$#-y edumS and inoidental ex~edsos J.Onneoted therewith. Suoh bonds ahell 004 exoeed 

in amcuikorie-rourth of.the asseseod valuation 

of the real property in such dlstriot, as shown 

by the last annual asaesexent thereof made ior 

said distiiot, nor exeseding the amounts spsoified irsaid order and notloe of oXoQt&u~+~ 

Artiole 8154, Verbon’s Annotated Civil Btatute8, 

reads. as folS&bs t 

When the bonds have been rogigtered, 

the county judge shall, under the direotion 

of the Couti, advertise and sell said bonds 

on the best terms and for tha beet prloe 

possible, not lee8 then their par value ahd 

aoorued intereat. All money reooived from 

euoh sale shall be turned over ae received 

by the ocunty judge to the County treasurer, 

and shall be by him plaoed to the credit Of 

the dlstriot Sn the construotion and mintenanoe fund theraof. The uo'unty judge shall 

be allowed one-half of one ?er oent of the 

amount rec,oive& OA .the sale oi any bonda 

sold by k&m in full $ynent of hle eerYiUo8 

in that behalf." 
Honorable Aadrew Jr aiokey, Page 3 

Antilles 8162, 8165 and 6164, Vernoncs Annotated 

Givil Statut,ea, provide aa ?ollowsr 

wArt. 6188. Ii there rezmins a surplus 

ot money or bend4 to the orsdit of the dietrlct, etter the ficael~oompletion of all Iraprov4ments~ oontraeted ior, including bridges 

end 4~lva44, aad after the payment of all axpenes4 incurred hereunder, the oommi~si~~4rs 

may cause the ai4tFict 8ngiaeOr to rtake a detaLled report of any additional or supplamontal drains, ditohe8 or lerees or other charaoter~of suxfaoe drainage improvements 

ing thle ,draihage, i,'%%d 

dietrfet. 

that may be needed 

Such report ahall be,sade and aotad 

upon ia the ciao.aeF prescribed for the Initial 

resort of the rnginsar hefor the imwencs of 

bOhdB. The eBt&bated cost of such additional 

in4rov4msnts ehsL1 In no ease exceed the amount 

of surplus money or bonda to the aredit of 

the dietriot. 

.: 

"Ale. 8163. After the approval of the 

engineer*s report or a8 modified by the Court, 

the Court shall order an eleotion to be held 

within tho diatriat at the earliest possible 

legal time. I534 anly proposi.tion presentsd a*, 

such eleotios shall be 'For the additional 

improvemente and Bayment thersror out or ths 

moneys on hand;' and vA$ainet the additional 

im~rovemats and payment therefor out of the 

noneys on hand.' A majority vote shall be 

neoeasary to carry such proposition. Notice 

of such eleotion briefly reciting the charaoter 

and sooQe of such pr02084a Im~,rov,e!2.enta, stating the estimated coat of mme, and stating 

the mime and ?l?~oes of holdin% auoh election 

shall be givs?, eleotion officers, appoln+,ed, 

returns neda a114 usnvassed, snd the raeill+, 

declared, in like mnnar as provided for the 

ori,;inal election. 

"Art. 8164. The pmvis1ons of this law 

relative to the lettin,! of contracts =xnd the 

construction of im~rovesents thereunder and 

the authority of the draiuafce commissioners and 

the court In connection thcF4tith. shall aiwly 
::. ; ‘L The lallgu~ ueed tn the aztia1es quots&, supra, 

lea&s~..orr to thr oonuIuaion that ow suoh fundc~, to the oredlt 

of thty dlstriot, as were &s?in& troll ths rale of bon&s lpay 

be used in pamat l’or imprcivQmsnts, whether original or 

rddit:osalr 

Artiolao 8131 and 0138, Vernon's Annotated civil 

statutes, protide as r013,owsr 

*at. 8187. ~Ths oolmnlesionsrs shall annual4, 09 or before the iirst'&aJ of July 

pa%% ait& file with tha Gotut a full dot Is& 

?P" 

F06p0e or. the a03ati0fi 0f the bpr0~~43as 

ther6bafiWO aads fn the distriot, with an estirntte of the probabls aost OP auintamsos and 

nas&adra~irr)dvrinngthe ansuiegyaar,to- 

ðer tith an immtory of aU fuads, eiiasto, 

property and aooow%ts belonging to such dlstrirt, and .a list of all lawful daiaands, debts 

a~nd obUgations against the distriot. Bush 

report shall be verified b7 the eosanissloners 

and oa33nfh14 f#lV8~tf~Ut~d alsd aonsldsred by 

the Court before any lery oi tsxea la made 

under the suoeecldlng ertlole. 

"AS. 8lSc At thq came time that taxes' 

are lariad to meet the bon&e& indabtadaess, the 

Court *hall aauss to. be ~*sreased and oolleoted 

taxas upoa all property in the &i8triot, whether real, parscmal or othemfee, sufficient to 

mlntain,,keep in r+@phir, end to pssservve the 

improvane5ts in the dbtriot, and to pay all 

legal, jwt and lawful debts, de!aas&s and 

obligations against suah Bistriat. Suoh levy 

shall never, fn any ona gear, exoeed one-hali 

of ene per oent of the total assarrss& valuatioh 

or suah dietriot for suah mar* Swh taxes 

whan 80 eoma0te& nhal.l be pima in the abnetru0t.ion and mmfntsnanae fund." 

drtiole 8139, vernon*a Aatmtats& Civil Statutea, 

reads as roiloars 

*If any bonds ramsin whioh are not reQuir- 

& for the completion of the improvemote ~~39 

or to be ma&e. then with the oonsent of the 
Honorable Andrsw .l. Ib$eksy, Pegs 8 

Court ady ma&e Of Bublio rb00ra, suoh bonds 

cm a part thereof msy be sold em& the proms&s frsm~the esle thereof shall bs placsd 

in th6 matnte~ae and eonstru0tlon fun4 aad 

u0sa for tb I~~~-~+osss 3t8t06 iti the p~~kh34- 

laci article.' 

The use or the word0 "lrlQrovaments~Ssde or to be 

madew in Artioler ES!!?, stqrs, l.iks*lss, fmlicatse an iatsntion 

on ths part or the tsgislature to ubs the p_raose&ei or the 

sals of the bon&# ior iapovsnsnts and *if any bonde rsvmin 

which arcnot WWired fpr the Obm~letion si the i!iI~ZOYSiaent0 ma6 OP .t0 b,a ma0 ,* they rmp be aold and the prOt38eda 

-MO& for nlatnwTl5noa glr$ose8. 

Fe belisvs that the 'us6 o? thti sorat "to the crsaft of the Ustrisk ic the oonstmstion snd msihtsosnae fund 

thsrsof" ,in Artfols.~, sugrs, sii& -to the orsdit of the 

district* snd V@pluti money or bimas to ths oreait of the 

district?, 2n Article 816&, supr& pla~ss sush funas in a 

Qiffera5t oatogorg in 80 fsr.e'ths purpose ttor whish they 

0ay be eppjnaea'is aonosrnsa, rr0ra whioh those ssus rluuds 

will bs after the hsva bsso plaos& "In the msintenanoe an& 

ocnstrttctfon M&“, under Article 81K augrar 

Article 8160, Vsrnon*s Annotated Civil Statutes, 

pro-via03 as followst 

*Aftey the establishment of a distriat, 

all legal and Just expenses, debts and obbligations other then bonar and intereat thereon 

arising and orsated after the fXlin& of the 

original petition and nsossssrily lnuurred in 

the orsstion, eatsblishin&, operation and 

mElintananoe of such diskriot, shall be pala 

out of the ~Construation and Msintsnemee Fuod,'~ 

of auah aiatriot whioh shall oounist OS all 

money, erfeots, property and proaesds received 

by such distriat from all sourss~, except that 

portion 0r the tar co3.loetions whioh shsutll be 

neoessary to ~sy the intsrsst on the bchded 

inasbteansss as it falls dus end the paginent 

of the bonds at .mturity. ma tax aolleatlons 

~hdl be 3lacea in ana *ia out 0r .the lIntereet 

aud sinking y-a* of suah amriOt for such 

QWQOS~~S, and sut?h fund may be lnvsutsd for 

ths bsnerit or the aiotrIot in suah bond8 2~':~ 
an4 twotidkiea as ths AWoboraoy heoral may 

approv+ *oh tundo abalI bo held for thq 

rMJn*tivb PuXps*e8 for uhigh they rem 

WOati@, M$ it ii!OIM~ i8 imprOD8~~ &mi4 oak 

'Uf..eikhr~j. the CoUrt may ~atteb khb oeuntp. 

kroartWer t(, ?&mike thb neoeoaarf kpeasfep 

of 8UOhk&OUak in Che biekniot aeeoui&tr., 

$0 zost&Ps~the ian Be improgar1y u*e&* 

In'oW OPinion the ooekb of additional tiproy+ 

rnsnbs.:are.nbt awalk *hgal aad. jwk 

Ligation8 MGmr than bonds 

atiatilt- CitbD the. fkling of’ 

brs~~~~insrrr~b4 la the erea$ioa, 

and Biaink~an~& of 8-h 4irtriotm, 

&h’oori44M #bll bb paid out of the 

te,naabb fiikl&i, 

,. ,’ 

tMBsr the provisiona or ~iole @ltm, aupfs, e44& 

tionar imQrwenlant6 may not be ~enetrwite& without' first 

aubm&tting kbe~ gusukioa to a rote by the faxpayemsm Dabtlr 

tar the mai&'~Jl0., repair a54 prcaw7etion.oi khe l?nproveneat@ oa %lWother hand, nay be inourmd bar the drainage 

blatdot witho~tfirst subnitki~n4 the question to the voter*, 

ah4 the ~eammi~sione~a~ oourk~ie autharixs4 (Azkioles 8137, 

81.38, SUDfb) t0 XWJ t&XeS iOP the ?ay3lMt' Of 8U8h dEdJlage.dbtrlot debts. 

The einawer to ths,.itrst ~ueation submitted by gou 

depaa4~~~upen the determination of whether khe OutkinPg of the 

propomb MW ditoh amounts to~"a44it&Onal impremnentt(l*, unbar 

Artielea 8103 anQ 8103, auprg. or wheti= ouah new ditoh is 

neeesrary %o malnkain, keep in repair, an4 to preserve the 

imprwements in the dlstriet* under Art1010 8138, eupre. If 

the forno~, your question is answera in khe negativer LI 

the latter, the answer is in tha af~irmatire. 

57~ have bean unable to find any %BS oases in7017ing the dirsot question bf whether oerkein work 4cne on 

an sskablished dminags dietriot is to be ola8wd aa Wa44itiona1 i~nprovenents* or *to tueintein, kue' in repair, an4 

to preasrve the lmprovemntr, in the diets P at". 

In the OESO of mrls Boldins Corp. et al 7. Nilooxi Tom Collsstor of Taxes, 153 Atl. 169, k3 COM. 343, 

the sourt held that the word nma\lntenaaoe” within a statuke 
provi4ing for ths o~onstruakion ah4 rnaihkananee or a sewsr 

syskasi, was aok lti~ita4 to ths.stera repair of the disposal 

roHcta or khe~pmaema.kion in the eollditioc ir whioh they wara 

left eiter oPi,4inal 0onstm6tion, but khst csrkeia improvrpmente te the 415p5B61 plant WON) inoltt454 wfkhin 1k. ‘irb quota 

from th5 oottrtt8 opinion a5 tollsws: 

.-. 

18 

~"fhs war4 r~~~~inkain' has no precise 

legal ai~ifioan~* in the 6on8kruakion 0r 

ekabakss, its ate&&g varying with the skakttket~~im whioh ik is used,~ ths eubjsati matter' 

Or the lar, ah4 the purpose k0 ba aoompllehe4 by it,= 

fa the ease of Wkh v. Qraysti Ceunky, l&t Tax. MY. 

ABE. L&38, 44 S. Vf. 931, khe eowt, cM8truiag.khb meaning of 

the wor& %aintsaanoe" in &kisla 8, %stitta 9 OX Vbraonfe 

Annokuted Texas Gohstitution, authorizing the Lergislature to 

p555 beal lawa 2er khe.mainteaaaoa~o~ publio roads and highways; used-the roiloari~g lunguaget 

*Tt~ir insiabbd, hcrwer, that this oleues 

of the oonetitutfon liraits the purposes for 

whiah loos1 laws nosy be passed to,tha ma&tenanaa ot roads alrea4y oosstruotad,tidwoul4' 

not authorize the passage of a ekatute orsab’ 

big a roe4 system. We 40 not thi#c thuword 

Qminksnanoe*, as used in this motion 09 ths 

oaastitukion, wss intended to be us64 in this 

restricted stmee. By ths use of ths..xcxds Qaaihtenams OS publie roads and: highways,*, the 

framers of the oonstitution hat! referenoa to 

maintuining a rpystam of publie roads an4 

hi&ways, whioh would lnolude all the nsoessery powers to provide and keep up a sTystan 

of highways: Brown v. Cmihum, 58 %x. 254." 

In the oaae of gelleher v. Tolnt Dmiuage histriuk 

So. 18, Greene County, et al, 249 N. W:401, 216 Iowa 349, 

the supre5~ court of Io9m bud before it the question or whether osrtain work dons on a drainage distriot wss repair 

(under Beotion 7556 of the lOa Iowa aode, not requiring 

notids to property owners) or briginal construction (uedsr 

Section 7554 of said 004e, requiring notd08 ko property 

owners). We quote from the opinion as rollowsr 
*la hia testimony the engineer plainly 

&Saks& tha$ be intehdsd the new as a subetitutbon ior, and not a repair of, the ord tile 

line, On the appXLlsels land the new tile line 

Varies a dirrtanoe of fifty reds from the old 

ti&B line. The ooet of the nm system is. 

a&g@ tinme more than that of the original oonstivotfoa. &equontly Uurlng tlgdr exominatLon fa the aistrlot court tha engiaeer and 

the uerabere~o? the board frankly oonieeeed 

that the origlnal oonotruotion waa inadequate 

$0 &e&n the land@ within the diotriat, a&l 

that the aew.improvement wab e substitution 

theretor,~aa, distiagulahod Prom a re 

r 

ir 

thereof1 While the cost of the now np&ovement ie not eonolusivs in dotermintag whethor 

the rsork is s repair or not, yet it may be 

oonsidsred on that subject. Tar fnstanee it 

wa6 eaid In Bloomquist Y. B0amVof Superv~soorrr 

of J&din bounty, 188 Iowa, 994 reading on 

page. $001, 177 h. W. 95j 9g* ~&deed we 

shokld.be ~reluotant to hold in any 41~3 that 

aq eqenditure ,oi 190 per0ent. OS tho cost 

or 86: original improvement should be doomed e 

meze repair thereof.' Xn,the 0868 ant bar, 

the oost of the new impmmauent is more.than 

190 per oent. of the expense of the original 

work. 

Vhen 0onslderiog tho appllcabillty of 

the tm, eeotiona or tho Cede muunder eonsideration, this courtsaid, in Walker P. 

Joint &aiaeqo District, 197 Iowa, 351, supra, 

rciadlng on pages 334, 355, and 336, 197 N. W. 

72, 73; *The *repair* that beoame nooeseary 

boeaumj of the oondition ma not e wrepapBir* 

o? the physiaal improvement as made upon the 

land, but it we8 a Vopeir* of the plan of the 

engfneor who deaigoed the origical iaprovement which was adopted by tho board of supervisors. In other mrds, the original plan for 

the dreihage OS this traot of land was $h$d$- 

quate and:.insufficient to do t'he work. 

There ia no attempt at roplaoensnt, Or shy ropair, modification, or ohaoge 0i any kihd in 

the original tile as oonstruotod. Ae before 

stated, the thing that is repaired ia the 
8OnOWtAbit4 h&Tsr J, Hiokep, -0 9 

plan, and net the Oonstruotod system. To ropa&r mwuu3 et0 rostoro to a sound or ga0d 

oondition after dooay, in ury dilapidation, 

or partial dostruotioa.* 5*& The eonstruetionof tbia now tile drain 8,100 fleet in 

length, sqme 900 feet blatant from tho original 

tile and nearly parallel theroto, and rur&dns drainage far an entirely iww area of 

land not drained by the original tile, is not 

ln any proper se~so a "repair" of tho~osiginal 

oomtmetion. * * * The word *repairff fa not 

of suffiakent olaatlaity to petit extension 

to luoludo work of this oharaater.' 

Tie, enlarging, reopening, dooDOn&rg;. 

tidening, straightening, lengthening or tg, 

O-f 

Ing of location f'er better serv i 06, dontenq atod by section 7356, lo~to be a repairer 

of an o&sting system and not the subatltutlon 

,of a now and different drk therefor. 4Le tha 

board 'ef supervl~ors did ln.#lalkor 'I+ Joint 

Drainage Dintriot 197 Iowa, 351, 197 IT. V.. 

78, euprs, the j&t board here ohanged the 

system beoauao the ortginal plan wan fnadequate. If the original levee, drainage.dlatriot, 

or inprovmmt is inaufrici~nt to groopsrly 

drain tho lands, the prooeduro should be, not 

under 73543, but under 7334 of the 1951 Cede. 

This is true bsoauae it is neoessarg to eetablish a new and original lovoo and drainage distriot that will bo adopuato to care for tho 

wetera on tko land. A now plan~in other 

words, is neoesaary under those olr~umstanoee. 

When, then, a new plan is nooessary, the 

procedure should be under seotlon 7534 or the 

Code, rather than under section 7556. Section 

7556 does not contemplate a new plan and a 

new system, but rather it presupposes tho ropair of tbt work under an old plan and an old 

system. Consequently, beaause the joint board 

of supervisors in the oase at bar adopted a 

new plan and a nsw system, theyillegally proaeodsd under section 7550. They should have 

poooeasa under ssotion 7554 &boy% mentioned. 

The property ownsrs in tho ease at bar were 
Honorable Andrar 3. Biekey, Page 10 

entltled tom notioe, as eonteqplated by the 

laet-aemd esetion. . . . * 

In the eaee et Bidalgo Oouaty Drainage Dietriot 

No. 1, St Sl Ye ?htSSllatiOM~ CreO44ting b CO?l8tl'U4tiOB CO., 

(Cfv. App.) 54 $. $I, (Ed 80l,,lllrit xi~fuaed, suit wa4 instituted by appellee ag al! net the draiaage distriot and Didalgo Cotmty,",to. recover on eertaia warrants fsfaued br eafd 

drainsg4 di8triOt tb the @90P@1 t%tWt~tiOB CWllpCYly to 

eridenoe the Snbebtedneee due said cenetruotion eoegaay for 

oelrtain labor and matelrial furnished to the dietriot for 

oertain 1ntproWzaente and repaire on the egetem. Appelleee 

were p?xehasmrs fn fpod faith of the warrante. In aftineina the jub@knb of the trial court in faror of aupelleee 

for the full cum OX the warrants, Ghiei Justioe Fig of the 

~on,Antonio Court, us98 the following languaye in th* opin- m 

me work wae f'urniehed for repairs 

and ImproYeaente on an e&iotinrg dietriot 

and then aateritils were rurnished and use d f0r 

twse objeota naned in the oohtraot. AL vote 

of the terpayere of the dietrict was not e8- 

sential to the validity oi the mntrncte 

mite by arid bstweeh the gartlse. It wae 

never coutaplated by law that evemy time 

repairs and improvauente beams necessary in 

a dreinae district a vote mzuat be bald. The 

authorit f ee of the distriot were fully authorl.zed to do all they did in the preuieee. 

The eox&eionera* oourt has full authority 

by article 8138, keviaed Statutes, to.grovfde 

for the paymnt of the debts evidenoed by 

the war?ante. !i!he thira and fourth proposltionsare based on bare and unreaeonable 

tgehaiee.litd.ee, snd should cot zoet with 

1a-m. - at the hands of a oourt of justiae. 

HIS fifth ysoposition ie also ove~rulea. 

ems supplemental contrsot eas mde in 

the interest of the district, and It rocsivad 

the b3csfit* from it. Tha 3ixth proposition 

is ovtrpuled. 

*Thie court 8888 00 WOW3sity for entering into a discussion of ths law pcX?Rlittihg 

i 
22 

Xonorable Andrew 3. E&0r.ey, Page 11 

'& is .&t alwar iras the Et&&go County Ih?ainage 

District eam6, euDra,'what the eimprovcoxentse consisted of 

in said oas,e. On ma 861 of the opinion in said eaee, it 

ia stated that the woe wae *. . . for ctwtain ircprovements 

and repn%xs on the eyateaa . , .- ZLikmiee, the opinion dose 

not. say Under *@at eiroumetaseae the law oonteatplated that 

a votemuafbe ha&. It merely stetas that a vote WAS not 

contemplate% *avery time rep&m and iqgmwmente became 

neoeaeaPy,*~ In our opinion, the rord *i-,rwmientW ae wed 

in the Texae case, sqcra, la wed as ~~azA.ngj repaiq rather 

thsn aciai*bd ,~2~pmmii~nt+ I 

Whether oertain wosk~.doae on an sstablishod dmin- I 

q8 aiatriot ie uaddCtioooa21.~~~rwanrcntn or said drainage 

distrfet,; yithin the me.ao@#ef Article 816E, suprai or momly 

*to maintain, keep in and to: 3reserva~ the improvements~ ia the bietsiot* the meaning of Article 6l38, 

augr~, is R' qtmstinn of iau:.to be deai6eE by the drainage 

authoritiee frm all the tact8 aad oira~mstanc~ea in ths *artI-' 

oular 0834. 

From the ,languags ueed in the Rfdalgo County Draina.56 District oaee, supra, and from the other authorities dieoueeed herein, it ie o*ur opinion that DropoaedPrork on an 

establishe6 drainage district that ie reaeosably necessary 

to make such drainage system do the work that it 488 uontemqlated that it sbouXd do under tbe glsn or epot% originallo? adopted, and whioh doe8 not materially alter, add to, 

or extend the sooee ot the &snerQ glan or syctcffi, oolliea 

withiF- the meanlag of tbe terxa*to riiaiutala, keep in repair, 

aad to preserve the imp,rovesonta in the district", in Artiale 61293, sttpra, and may be yurid for out of ,the conetruction 

and mainteannoe fund* If, on the s*theo hand, such proposed 

work is not reasonably limited Co the pur:loses justnmntioned, 

it would ctxl6tituta "additional im~r.30e,mantsW within the 

meaning of Artioles 816f?-6164, su_ora, requirioz 9 -note by 

the taxpa:prs anil to ?m y?id for only by bonds 31‘ rt,?de &Jrived from the sale of the bonds reSIftiiL= iX thd OFedit 

of the district. 

1 - 
Hemrable.. &daeu Y. Xiokoy, l?aga 18 

In amwex t5 your first puedion therefore you 

ere reepaetBlly advfmd that It Ir the s&Ion or t& de0 

partment that if, Iri th@ Judepnbnt or the dnilllrge authfsri-~’ 

tiea, tha aoWing a? the Bow ditch sunder the Saots eubsdtted, 

Bow set go ao Sar as. to be %dd&nal lnprovaasntw under 

the teat rlbntionsd in the prwsdw paragmph, ths cost 

therbi3f may be paid far out ~1 th* ooortntation end maintenanee tuad. 31, cm the other bend, it Ie round that the 

aattinfg ,of clWh new ~.d.tlmh 00nBtItutea “addl@onal izlpmv6- 

mantaa, when teeted afl aforesaid, the oo8t thereof oould not 

legally bs paid out af the sonatruotion and znalntenanoa 

fund, beeawe all iunda iron the iale of the bonds Save 

been erponded and home ne nuplm lcbmriru to the credit 

ot the districrt aa required by btiole 0168, mapsa. 

I5 anmer to the fint pue8tIon eonridered In 

paragraph 8 of your letter,~ you we respeotf?&ly advieed 

that it Is the opinion of this degaxtmnt that it is the 

duty. of the drainage dietriat ts replaos bridgcsr originally 

built by the drainage dirtriot ovex~ ditahes o? ths~ dl8trfot 

oroasin the ouunty road, ewh bridgea being now eIth6r wern 

Out Bf et, adequate because .of the widedog or thr ditoh by 

the dist ria t . We 8re enelosfag a aopy ot our opiafon Roe 

O-lQ18 whioh deals with this .puestIon. We believe that 

it la the opinion qou rsier to ins your letter. 

.- 

rrcnn ow understanding o$’ your letter, the only 

substantial dlfierenea between the. first and second questions 

ilr the seoond paragraph of your letter, Is that In the latter quo&Ion the &adequate bridge 6romsw a %atural* drain 

I-teed of a drain or ditah oosat;ruoted by.the dI8trIot. 

fhrdsr the raota subrAtted It ir DUF opinion that 

the lIabIlItp of tho drainage diatsiot Ia the smte with rem 

peat to the building and maintaining Or bridgw OvL)I both 

types of drains. 

Drainage didltriots are ciuthorlzed and anoountg@d 

in the Interest of good huabanm, O? the publie health, of 

the advaneemant or the ganrml upbuilding of the OountrY, 

and the rescuing of waste portion6 ct land and their hoi% 

made to serve uaei’ul and profitable. PUTpOaW. Jefferson 

county Drainage District v. LfoYadQfn (CiV. ABP.) 281 3. IS'. 

323, arfirnied Ccm. Of App., 4 8. w. I2U) 33. 
3 

.r 

. .-. 

2% 

Ronorable Andrew J. Makey, &tga 15 

Article 81Cl0, Ptmmn*8 Annotated Civil Statutes, 

reads az ioUazza 

*The engineer shall, within s~ushtima es 

may be preaoribed by the (Joust, go upon the land 

pr~powd to be draincrd and proteote$ by levees, 

and make a oareftal survey thereof, end from 

suah survey malt6 Qrel3IaInazypla~, kwn" 

appmzlaatoly the neoeasarg 

dItahe8, latomla and leilfseo, and :hm&- 

nats ths stream and bayous naoessa&y to be 

o~eanbd, deapeneQ and atralghtaned 4 

eawmate the ooets thereer 2.n detaila~ra to 

ea6h Improvsmsnt sontemplatsd, and shall alao 

estimate the probable sazt si maintaining same 

per yaar,,and shall at snse maks ,a detailed report or his work to tha Court.* ~ubderscoririg 

OUSB.) 

Bearin& In mintI the purpose and nature o? drainage districts, ws bellsve.It Is alear&raathe language ussd 

ymTn~le 8108, suwa, that the words~*tha netae,eeary . . 

-* wsra oontanpleted tom i&elude any natural 

drains or irhG9 whioh asuld be utilizag in affeoting a 

p~opar drainage aystsm. 

Artiole 8153, Vernon*8 Annotated Civil Statutes, 

read8 a8 folluwst 

"All oanals, drains ditches and leveee 

made ~water ciburfieei deaned or cBBf5truoted 

many dietriot shall bs the publio properte 

oi suah distriot, and every psrsoa swnlng 

district shall hats the right 

or ,mre ot euoh publis drains, 

and at his own expsnsa to make drainz aooordIng to the natural slops of the land through 

suoh other lands as intervene batwean his land 

and ths nearest qubliu drain or wat8rWourse, 

or along a public highway. Suoh oaasr shall first 

notify the aommissioners of hia deaire to make 

suoh drain through another's property or along 

a public highway, and such asmmissioaerrr shall 

go upon the premises and oat as a jury of view 

zdz;srmine the plaoe where auah drain may 

." (Underscoring ours.) 
Honorable &drew Z. Htakey, Paga 14 

In pour letter you ataw that the natural twain 

or owsk hart been used by the Ui@t)fot and that thb dietriot &Is wbblea swh Ratuural drain. fn our opinion, 

the @@usf~ an4 widening;* of the natural drain or ore& by 

thu dfstrbt takeo mob drain vut of the aleas of aatuml 

dralmand plaoej it into the oatafprg of Wreiim, . . . 

made . . . by ray dbtrict . , .” within Article 8x73, 

anb heaoe baaox&aa “the property of the dlatriot*, In the 

mlae mamler 6s My other drain or Bitch mad, or ovnetruot6a by tbb di6triot#. 

%atural oondition or’ theY..&andw is ursd to i&ioate thaB the avndition of lasnd has not busn changed by any 

sot of a human bein& Restatement, Torts, Seotionb &X5\, 

and 820. 

Artiole ?3161* '8"ernoIi*s hnmtatetl Civil Statutea, 

provides a8 iollowa~ 

*~hr oommIesionsra are authorized and rs-. 

quired to build all nooessary bribpii8 an6 oulvert6 aomm end over all oanelu, draini, dltohos, 

laterals and laves~~ oonstruoted &sreunlZer when7 

ever the sane oroetd a oOunty or publie road, 

and ahan pay r0r stun0 out ,or ths drainage rub.* 

Iu answer ‘to the. seoonU quomtion in pprsgra 

of your letter, you are respcdotZully advised that it I”” B the 

opinion of thb deportment, under the faot8 etated that the 

drainage dietriot is liable for the replaoing of t&s now 

existing bridge. 

Very truly ymars 

ATTORMIEY OXXXt.kL OP ‘EWAS 

APPROVECAPR 9. 1941 

ATTORNEY GF.NERAL OF TEXAS 

25