Opinion ID: 2132966
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Nature of the County's Interest in the Ditch

Text: The parties' disagreement centers on whether the County has an obligation to clean the ditch. Before we can determine whether the County has such a duty, we must first determine the precise nature of the County's interest in the ditch. In doing so, we look to the original document creating the County's interest. The Iowa State Highway Commission first gained an interest in the disputed property by contract with the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. In 1980, the department of transportation, as successor to the highway commission, conveyed the north-south road to the County. The County acquired any interest in the ditch originally granted to the highway commission in 1950. That is, when the state conveyed the state highway to the County, it also granted to the County all rights, easements, title and interest in all land used as street and highway right of way, all roadway, and all right of way and roadway appurtenances thereto. The 1950 contract between the highway commission and the Church provided: In consideration of $1.00 ... the [Church]] hereby consents to the construction of a channel change.... It is agreed that [the Commission] shall have the right to construct and may maintain an open ditch extending due west ... thru the lowest part of the marshy land, to the east ... line ... to outlet in a natural drainage course. [The Commission] agrees to grade down the banks of the ditch to afford crossing same in [the] location agreed upon between the [Church] and the Engineer in charge of construction. It is further agreed that soil unfit for use in the highway grade will be wasted by spreading same over a low area ... south of said ditch, as designated by the [Church]. It is hereby agreed that possession of the premises is the essence of this contract and that [the Commission] may take immediate possession of the premises upon the signing of this contract, for the purposes set forth.... Should the highway as finally located require none of the real estate described, this contract becomes null and void.... Though the parties have both labeled the County's interest in the property an easement, the parties are contemplating different types of easements. The conclusion that the County's interest in the ditch is that of an easement is rendered uncertain based purely on the words of the contract. [1] The record reveals extensive confusion among the parties regarding whether this was a drainage easement. Koenigs argue the County acquired a drainage easement for the express purpose of satisfying its alleged duty to adequately drain the dominant estate. The deed conveying the parcel of land to Fishers stated the deed was subject to the drainage ditch easement. [2] This language misconstrues the original 1950 contract to mean the highway commission had a permanent drainage easement. However, the 1950 document was not a typical easement in that it was not created to drain the ditch because the drainage was to occur naturally as it did before the road construction. The highway commission did not construct a drainage system or a drainage district. See generally Iowa Code ch. 468 (2001). Absent from this contract is any language indicating the highway commission had an easement to conduct and convey water flowing or to flow to the ditch on Fishers' property. In other words, this was not a permanent easement designed to allow the County to drain water into the ditch in perpetuity. Rather, for the reasons discussed below, the easement was limited in its duration to the time it took the highway commission to dredge the ditch and build the road. It appears, at most, the highway commission had an easement for two purposes only. Most importantly, the primary purpose for the easement was to build a ditch. As a corollary to the commission's right to build the ditch, it had an easement to maintain the ditch during the road construction process. The words of the contract support this determination stating the highway commission shall have the right to construct an open ditch. These words make certain the easement was limited for the sole purpose of building the ditch. Pursuant to this contract, the highway commission dredged the ditch. It used the soil to fill in the road bed and to aid in the construction of the county road. The parties bargained for nothing more than a dump and harvest site for building the road. We now turn to the crux of the case before us, i.e., the extent of the County's maintenance easement.