Arrwrx~ 2,.TEXAS
Honorable!Brerstt H. Cain Cotiaty Attorney ChambersCounty &wJuaa , Texas
Dear Sir: OpiaionBo. O-2622 Rea tiabllityof drainagedis- triofsto outsideindividuals.
This depa+mt has received Pnd cmsidered your requestfop an opinion. For coaveale~ae,neshall quote the pertinentportionof your letter,as followsr
"A large part of ChambersCountyis draiaadIz$r Spindle-top Qullay ahiah is a naturaldrain but insuffioientto adequatelydraintha p~rtioular sectionthroughwhich it flows. ChambersC0un-Qdesiresto oleaa out, widen and straightensaid naturaldrain to 5mprovedraiaageofmid area Lut is unableto so alean out, widen aad straightensaid drai* to its* mouth beoauseit extendson into JsffersoaCountyahers Chrrmbers County has no control* Chanibers Countyhas a drainagedistrictextendingto the county linei and has the co-operatioaof said drainagedistriat.
"If ChambersCouaty so opena this natrualdraircit is threatenedwith suits or suits for damagesfrom landownersia JeffersonCountyresulting from floodingof their landswhich will probablyooour unless the Gulley is cleanedto its* muth and, OP the other brad, ChambersCountymust suffer continuedfloodingof its' lands and Iad drainageunless said drain is so improved.
*Pleaseadviseyour opinionas to whetherChsmberaCouaty,under suoh air ownstames, would In liablefor damagesto landownersia JeffersoaCow&y in event floodingof iheir lands resultedfromthe cleatingout, widening and straightaaingof said Gulluy by ChpmharsCountye"
Drainagedistniotsare areatureaof the State'Legislaturetthere- fore, any ooasideratioaof their rightsaad liabilitieswmld normally be gowra.4 by the stafutoryprovisionswhich am mspoasible for their existesioe.1'7&I. Jur. 789. Provisioafor drainagedisrtrfotsis mado in.ktioles 8097, et seq. of Vernon*8AnnotatedCivil Statutes. Aa exam- inatikmofthe con~mlliag statutoryprovisions,howuwr,raosals ao anwserto your question. A drainagedistrictoam neither sue nor ba sued unlssa there exists expressstatutoryauthori~atioa.9 R.C. IN 649. Article 8174, Vemon*s Civil Statutes,provides: Hon. EVerottH. Cain, page 2 (O-2622)
"All distriotsmay, by and throughtheir coavnissioners, sue and be sued inall OOUr% of this State,in the neme of such districts,and all oourts of this State shall take judioialnotioe of the establisbez& of all suoh districts.
"Drainagedistricts. . . are politioalsubdivisionsof the State of the 6~ aatureand stand upon exactlythe seme footingas oour&ies,or pre- oiaots,or any of the other politioalsubdivisionsof the State." Jones V. JeffersonCounty DraiaageDistrict,139 S.'R.(2d) 861, error refused, and cases cited therein. L. R. A. lSlS>B,p. 1010.~~
Since drainagedistriatsare regardedas quasi public aorporations, and, accordingly,treatedas aitildivisionsof the State for gwenamental purposes,then, as a generalrule, their liabilityfor damagesis control- led by the rules which generallydeterminethe liabilityof governmental subdivisions.9 B.C. 1. 650.
The mere fact that such distriotsenjoy the statusof being a civil or politicaldivisionof the State does not totallyinmurniee them against liabilityfor their torts. The State itselfmust abide oertainlimitations nith regard to the taking or damagingof privatepropertyfor public use.
Se&ion 17 of Article 1 of the Texas Constitutionprovides:
"No propertyshallbe . . . damagedor destroyedfor or ap- plied to publie use without adequatecompensation being made . . ."
A drainagedistrictcan neitherhave nor olaim a higher right re- gardingits liabilitiesthan tie State iteself. Aacordingly,the dis- triot is subjectto the Constitutionalinhibitionagainsttaking,damag- ing or de.?troyiBgprivatepropertywithout compensation.Peart v. Reeker, 12 So. 490.
But all damagesto privatepropertyarisingfromthe construction, maintenance,or extens$onof a public improvementare not includedin the ooastitutional guarantyw Scme injuriesare treatedas dauunmz absque injuria. JeffersonCountyDrainageDistrictv. IlcFaddin, 291 S.~W.323, aff. 4 S.H. (2d) 33, JeffersonCountyDrainageDistrictv. Langham (C.A.), 76 S.H. (2d) 484. For example,a districtmight oonstruot,impmve, or extend drainstompel surfacewater,and if done in a oarefil,reasonable,