North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 156 Drainage

Article 1 - Jurisdiction in Clerk of Superior Court.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-1. Supplemental proceeding
The proceedings initiated under this Chapter may be, to the extent practicable, supplemented by the procedures of Chapter 40A. (Code, s. 1324; Rev., s....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-2. Petition filed; commissioners appointed
Any person owning pocosin, swamp, or flatlands, or owning lowlands subject to inundation, which cannot be conveniently drained or embanked so as to drain...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-3. Duty of commissioners
The commissioners, or a majority of them, on a day of which each proprietor of land aforesaid is to be notified at least five...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-4. Report and confirmation; easement acquired; exceptions
The commissioners shall report in writing, under their hands, the whole matter to the court, which shall confirm the same, unless good cause be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-5. Width of right-of-way for repairs
The commissioners, when they may deem it necessary, shall designate the width of the land to be left on each side of the canal,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-6. Right of owner to fence; entry for repairs
Any proprietor, through or on whose land such canal or ditch may be cut or embankment raised, may put a fence or make paths...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-7. Earth for construction of dam; removal of dam
The earth necessary for the erection of a dam may be taken from either side of it, or wherever else the commissioners may designate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-8. Earth from canal removed or leveled
The earth excavated from the canal or ditch shall be removed away or leveled as nearly as may be with the surface of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-9. No drain opened within 30 feet
The proprietor of any swamp or flatlands through which a canal or ditch passes shall not have a right to open or cut any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-10. Right to drain into canal
Any person desirous of draining into the canal or ditch of another person as an outlet may do so in the manner hereinbefore provided,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-11. Expense of repairs apportioned
Besides the damages which the commissioners may assess against the petitioner for the privilege of cutting into such canal or ditch, they shall assess...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-12. Notice of making repairs
Whenever the canals or ditches for the reparation of which more than one person shall be bound under the provisions of G.S. 156-11 shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-13. Judgment against owner in default; lien
In case the person so notified shall make default, any of the others may perform his share of labor and recover against him the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-14. Subsequent owners bound
All persons to whom may descend, or who may otherwise own or occupy lands drained by any canal or ditch, for the privilege of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-15. Amount of contribution for repair ascertained
Whenever there shall be a dam, canal, or ditch, in the repairing and keeping up of which two or more persons shall be interested...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-16. Petition by servient owner against dominant owner
Any person owning lands lying upon any creek, swamp, or other stream not navigable, which are subject to inundation and which cannot be conveniently...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-17. Commissioners to examine lands and make report
The commissioners, or a majority of them, on a day of which each proprietor is to be notified at least five days, shall meet...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-18. Cost of repairs enforced by judgment
Whenever any such ditch, canal, or embankment shall need repairs or cleaning out, and any of the parties interested therein refuse to perform the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-19. Obstructing canal or ditch dug under agreement
Where two or more persons have dug a canal or ditch along any natural drain or waterway under parol agreement, or otherwise, wherein all...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-20. Right of dominant owner to repair
In the absence of any agreement for maintaining the efficiency of such ditch or canal, or should the servient owner neglect or refuse to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-21. Canal maintained for seven years presumed a necessity; drainage assessments declared liens
After a canal has been dug along any natural depression or waterway and maintained for seven years, it shall be prima facie evidence of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-22. Supplemental assessments to make up deficiency; vacancy appointments of assessment jurors
The freeholders, commissioners or jurors, appointed in any application or proceeding filed or instituted under G.S. 156-21 or any other section of Article 1...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-23. Easement of drainage surrendered
If any persons, or those claiming through or under them, who have cut any ditch or canal into which any other person has been...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-24. Obstructing drain cut by consent
If any person shall stop or in any way obstruct the passage of the water in any ditch or canal having been cut through...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-25. Protection of canals, ditches, and natural drains
If any person shall fell any tree in any ditch, canal, or natural drainway of any farm, unless he shall remove the same and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-26. Procedure upon agreement
(a) Agreement; Names Filed. - Whenever a majority of the landowners or the persons owning three fifths of all the lands in any well-defined...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-27. Recovery for benefits; payment of damages
After the drainway herein provided for shall be completed the person, firm, or corporation cutting or digging the same shall be entitled to recover...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-28. Notice to landowners; assessments made by viewers
After the completion of the main drainway, upon the application of the person, firm, or corporation, or their heirs or assigns, digging or cutting...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-29. Report filed; appeal and jury trial
A report signed by two of the persons appointed as viewers shall be entered by the clerk as the report of the viewers. Any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-30. Confirmation of report
Unless an appeal is taken, the clerk of superior court shall confirm the report of the viewers. If exceptions are filed and no jury...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-31. Payment in installments
The amount to be recovered from any person as compensation for digging or cutting the drainway after the amount shall be definitely determined as...

Article 2 - Jurisdiction in County Commissioners.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-32. Petition filed; board appointed; refusal to serve misdemeanor
Upon the petition of three citizens in any county to the county commissioners, petitioning for the draining of any creek, swamp, or branch, either...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-33. Duty of board; refusal to comply with their requirements misdemeanor
The board provided for in G.S. 156-32 shall meet at the call of the chairman and shall proceed to inspect and examine the lands...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-34. Report filed
The board shall make a written report to the county commissioners showing all the acts and decisions of the board as to the length,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-35. Owners to keep ditch open
All persons whose lands shall be drained under the provisions of this Article shall keep the ditch on their lands clear of all rafts...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-36. Compensation of board
The compensation of the board shall be as follows: The county surveyor shall receive three dollars ($3.00) per day and the other members shall...

Article 3 - Manner of Organization.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-37. Petition filed in superior court
Any proprietor in fee of swamplands, which cannot be drained except by cutting a canal through the lands of another or other proprietor in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-38. Commissioners appointed; report required
On the establishment by the petitioner of his allegations, the court shall appoint three persons as commissioners who, having been duly sworn, shall examine...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-39. Surveyor employed
The commissioner may employ a surveyor to prepare the map required to accompany their report. (1868-9, c. 164, s. 4; Code, s. 1313; Rev.,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-40. Confirmation of report
If it appear that the lands on the lower level will be increased in value twenty-five percent (25%) or upwards by the proposed improvement,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-41. Proprietors become a corporation
Upon a final adjudication, confirming the report, the proprietors of the several pieces of land adjudged to be benefited by the improvement shall be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-42. Organization; corporate name, officers and powers
The clerk of the court of the county in which the proceeding is pending or any corporator, who is a petitioner, may call a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-43. Incorporation of canal already constructed; commissioners; reports
Whenever the proprietors of any canal already cut shall desire to become incorporated, any number of the proprietors, not less than one third in...

Article 4 - Rights and Liabilities in the Corporation.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-44. Shares of stock annexed to land
The ownership of the shares of stock is indissolubly annexed to the ownership of the pieces of land adjudged to be benefited by the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-45. Shareholders to pay assessments
Every corporator shall be bound to obey the lawful bylaws of the company, and pay all dues lawfully assessed on him: Provided, he shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-46. Payment of dues entitles to use of canal
Every corporator paying his dues legally assessed without regard to the number of his shares, shall be entitled to the full and free use...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-47. Rights of infant owners protected
If any proprietor whose lands are adjudged to be benefited by a canal shall be an infant, no process shall be issued against him...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-48. Compensation for damage to lands
If any proprietor of lands shall be damaged by any improvement proposed, the commissioners shall so report, and he shall be entitled to be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-49. Dissolution of corporation
If, from any cause, the canal or other improvement shall become or shall prove to be valueless, any corporator may apply as is provided...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-50. Laborer's lien for work on canal
Whenever work or repair shall be done on such canal and any of the parties owning lands liable to be assessed for such work...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-51. Penalty for nonpayment of assessments
Whenever any person whose lands have been adjudged liable to contribute to the maintenance or repair of such canal shall fail or refuse to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-52. Corporation authorized to issue bonds
The corporations organized under this Subchapter are authorized to issue bonds to such an amount and in such denomination as they may elect, payable...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-53. Payment of bonds enforced
Upon default of the payment of the interest or principal of such bonds, the holders of the bonds of the corporations organized under this...

Article 5 - Establishment of Districts.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-54. Jurisdiction to establish districts
The clerk of the superior court of any county in the State of North Carolina shall have jurisdiction, power and authority to establish levee...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-55. Venue; special proceedings
When the lands proposed to be drained and created into a drainage district are located in two or more counties, the clerk of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-56. Petition filed
A petition signed by a majority of the resident landowners in a proposed drainage district or by the owners of three fifths of all...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-57. Bond filed and summons issued
Upon filing with the petition a bond for the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) per mile for each mile of the ditch or proposed...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-58. Publication in case of unknown owners
If, at the time of the filing of the petition, or at any time subsequent thereto, it shall be made to appear to the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-59. Board of viewers appointed by clerk
The clerk shall, on the filing of petition and bond, appoint a disinterested and competent civil and drainage engineer and two resident freeholders of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-60. Attorney for petitioners
The petitioners shall select some learned attorney or attorneys to represent them, who shall prosecute the drainage proceeding and advise with the petitioners and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-61. Estimate of expense and manner of payment; advancement of funds and repayment from assessments
The clerk may make an estimate of the aggregate sum of money which shall appear to be necessary to pay all the expenses incident...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-62. Examination of lands and preliminary report
The board of viewers shall proceed to examine the land described in the petition, and other land if necessary to locate properly such improvement...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-63. First hearing of preliminary report
The clerk of the superior court shall consider this report. If the viewers report that the drainage is not practicable or that it will...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-64. Notice of further hearing
If the petition is entertained by the court, notice shall be given by publication once a week for at least two consecutive weeks in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-65. Further hearing, and district established
At the date appointed for the hearing the court shall hear and determine any objections that may be offered to the report of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-66. Right of appeal
Any person owning lands within the drainage or levee district which he thinks will not be benefited by the improvement and should not be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-67. Condemnation of land
If it shall be necessary to acquire a right-of-way or an outlet over and through lands not affected by the drainage, and the same...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-68. Complete survey ordered
After the district is established the court shall refer the report of the engineer and viewers back to them to make a complete survey,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-69. Nature of the survey; conservation and replacement of fish and wildlife habitat; structures to control and store water
The engineer and viewers shall have power to employ such assistants as may be necessary to make a complete survey of the drainage district,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-70. Assessment of damages
It shall be the further duty of the engineer and viewers to assess the damages claimed by anyone that are justly right and due...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-70.1. When title deemed acquired for purpose of easements or rights-of-way; notice to landowner; claim for compensation; appeal
The district shall be deemed to have acquired title for the purpose of easements or rights-of-way to those areas of land identified in the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-71. Classification of lands and benefits
It shall be the further duty of the engineer and viewers to personally examine the land in the district and classify it with reference...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-72. Extension of time for report
In case the work is delayed by high water, sickness, or any other good cause, and the report is not completed at the time...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-73. Final report filed; notice of hearing
When the final report is completed and filed it shall be examined by the court, and if it is found to be in due...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-74. Adjudication upon final report
At the date set for hearing any landowner may appear in person or by counsel and file his objection in writing to the report...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-75. Appeal from final hearing
Any landowner, party petitioner, or the drainage district may, within 10 days after the entry of an order or judgment by the clerk upon...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-76. Compensation of board of viewers
The compensation of the engineer, including his necessary assistants, rodmen, and laborers, and also the compensation of the viewers, shall be fixed by the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-77. Account of expenses filed
The engineer and viewers shall keep an accurate account and report to the court the name and number of days each person was employed...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-78. Drainage record
The clerk of the superior court shall provide a suitable book, to be known as the "Drainage Record," in which he shall transcribe every...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-78.1. Municipalities
(a) Any municipality may participate in drainage district works or projects upon mutually agreeable terms relating to such matters as the construction, financing, maintenance...

Article 6 - Drainage Commissioners.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-79. Appointment and organization under original act
After the drainage district has been declared established, as aforesaid, and the survey and plan therefor approved, the court shall appoint three persons, in...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-80. Name of districts
The name of such drainage district shall constitute a part of its corporate name; for illustration, the board of drainage commissioners of Mecklenburg Drainage...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-81. Appointment and organization under amended act
(a) Method of Appointment. - The manner of appointment shall be as follows: (1) If the drainage district shall lie solely within one county,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-81.1. Treasurer
The appointing authority as determined by G.S. 156-81 shall appoint a treasurer for the drainage district for a term not to exceed 12 months....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-82. Validation of election of members of drainage commission
All irregularities caused by failure of any officer whose duty it was to provide for the election of a member or members of board...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-82.1. Duties and powers of the board of drainage commissioners
(a) The board of drainage commissioners shall proceed with the levying of assessments, issuance of bonds and construction of canals, water retardant structures and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-82.2. Appointment of drainage commissioners
Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including, where applicable, any special acts or local modification of general law), the General Assembly hereby appoints all...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-82.3. Validation of previous actions
(a) All expenditures heretofore incurred, and all actions heretofore taken, by a drainage district for purposes authorized by this Chapter are hereby validated notwithstanding...

Article 7 - Construction of Improvement.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-83. Superintendent of construction
The board of drainage commissioners shall appoint a competent drainage engineer of good repute as superintendent of construction. Such superintendent of construction shall furnish...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-84. Letting contracts
The board of drainage commissioners shall cause notice to be given of the letting of the contract. The notice shall be posted at the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-85. Monthly estimates for work and payments thereon; final payment
The superintendent in charge of construction shall make monthly estimates of the amount of work done, and furnish one copy to the contractor and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-86. Failure of contractors; reletting
If any contractor to whom such work has been let shall fail to perform the same according to the terms specified in his contract,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-87. Right to enter upon lands; removal of timber
In the construction of the work the contractor shall have the right to enter upon the lands necessary for this purpose and the right...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-88. Drainage across public or private ways
Where any public ditch, drain or watercourse established under the provisions of this Subchapter crosses or, in the opinion of the board of viewers,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-89. Drainage across railroads; procedure
Whenever the engineer and the viewers in charge shall make a survey for the purpose of locating a public levee or drainage district or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-90. Notice to railroad
The clerk of the superior court shall have notice served upon the railroad company of the time and place of the meeting to hear...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-91. Manner of construction across railroad
(a) Duty of Railroad. - After the contract is let and the actual construction is commenced, if the work is being done with a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-92. Control and repairs by drainage commissioners
Whenever any improvement constructed under this Subchapter is completed it shall be under the control and supervision of the board of drainage commissioners. It...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93. Construction of lateral drains
The owner of any land that has been assessed for the cost of the construction of any ditch, drain, or watercourse, as herein provided,...

Article 7A - Maintenance.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.1. Maintenance assessments and contracts; engineering assistance, construction equipment, etc.; joint or consolidated maintenance operations; water-retardant structures; borrowing in anticipation of revenue
(a) The board of drainage commissioners may annually levy maintenance assessments in the same ratio as the existing classification of the lands within the...

Article 7B - Improvement, Renovation, Enlargement and Extension of Canals, Structures and Boundaries.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.2. Proceedings for improvement, renovation and extension of canals, structures and equipment
The board of commissioners may construct, renovate, improve, enlarge and extend the drainage systems and water-retardant structures and any equipment of the district, by...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.3. Extension of boundaries
The boundaries of a drainage district may be extended upon compliance with the requirements and procedures as follows: (1) The request for extension shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.4. Coordination of proceedings under �� 156-93.2 and 156-93.3
In the event a proceeding shall be instituted as provided for in G.S. 156-93.2 and shall also include the extension of boundaries, as provided...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.5. Assessments and bonds for improvement, renovation, enlargement and extension
The board of drainage commissioners shall, for the purposes set forth in this Article, levy the necessary assessments and may issue bonds or other...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.6. Rights-of-way and easements for existing districts
All drainage districts heretofore created shall be deemed to own an easement or right-of-way in and to those lands upon which there are existing...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-93.7. Existing districts may act together to extend boundaries within watershed
If there shall be more than one drainage district in a drainage basin, or watershed, the board of drainage commissioners of any of the...

Article 8 - Assessments and Bond Issue.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-94. Total cost for three years ascertained
After the classification of lands and the ratio of assessments of the different classes to be made thereon has been confirmed by the court,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-95. Assessment and payment; notice of bond issue
If the total cost of the improvement is less than an average of twenty-five cents (25) per acre on all the land in the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-96. Failure to pay deemed consent to bond issue
Every person owning land in the district who shall fail to pay to the treasurer the full amount for which his land is liable,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-97. Bonds issued
At the expiration of 15 days after publication of notice of bond issue the board of drainage commissioners may issue bonds of the drainage...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-97.1. Issuance of assessment anticipation notes
In lieu of the bonds provided for in G.S. 156-97, the board of drainage commissioners may issue assessment anticipation notes of the district for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-98. Form of bonds and notes; excess assessment
All bonds and notes authorized and issued shall be signed by the chairman and secretary of the board of drainage commissioners and the corporate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-99. Application of funds; holder's remedy
The commissioners of the district may sell the bonds or notes of the district for not less than par and devote the proceeds to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-100. Sale of bonds
In making the sale of drainage bonds the board of drainage commissioners shall prepare a notice of such sale containing the usual and appropriate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-100.1. Sale of assessment anticipation notes
Should assessment anticipation notes be issued by a drainage district under the provisions of G.S. 156-97.1, the board of drainage commissioners may accept any...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-100.2. Payment of assessments which become liens after original bond issue
Payment of assessments not included in the original bond or note issue shall be financed in the following manner: (1) In the event of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-100.3. Sinking fund
The commissioners of the drainage district may establish a sinking fund to be used to pay bonds and notes issued by the district. The...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-101. Refunding bonds issued
In any case where the board of drainage commissioners of any drainage district have issued or may issue bonds for the purpose of constructing...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-102. Drainage bonds received as deposits
The State Treasurer is authorized to receive drainage bonds issued by drainage districts in North Carolina as deposits from banks, insurance companies, and other...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-103. Assessment rolls prepared
The board of drainage commissioners shall immediately prepare the assessment rolls or drainage tax lists, giving thereon the names of the owners of land...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-104. Application of amendatory provisions of certain sections; amendment or reformation of proceedings
All the provisions of Chapter 217 of the Public Laws of 1923 amendatory of G.S. 156-71, 156-75, 156-83, 156-94, 156-97, 156-98, 156-99 and 156-103...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-105. Assessment lien; collection; sale of land
The assessments shall constitute a first and paramount lien, second only to State and county taxes, upon the lands assessed for the payment of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-106. Assessment not collectible out of other property of delinquent
Only the land assessed in the drainage proceeding shall be liable for the drainage tax or assessment, and no other property of the landowner...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-107. Sheriff in good faith selling property for assessment not liable for irregularity
The sheriff who executes upon property for the collection of drainage assessments under the provisions of this Article shall not be liable either civilly...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-108. Receipt books prepared
The clerk of the superior court in each county where one or more drainage districts have been established shall be required to have prepared...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-109. Receipt books where lands in two or more counties
Where any drainage district which has been established contains lands located in a county or counties other than the county in which the district...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-110. Authority to collect arrears
If any sheriff or tax collector was authorized to collect drainage assessments in any year prior to 1917, and failed to collect any part...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-111. Sheriff to make monthly settlements; penalty
The sheriff or tax collector shall be required to make settlements with the treasurer on the first day of each month of all collections...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-112. Duty of treasurer to make payment; penalty
It shall be the duty of the treasurer, and without any previous order from the board of drainage commissioners, to provide and pay the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-113. Fees for collection and disbursement
The fee allowed the sheriff or tax collector for collecting the drainage tax as hereinbefore prescribed shall be two percent (2%) of the amount...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-114. Conveyance of land; change in assessment roll; procedure
(a) Status of Land Fixed. - The boundaries of lands as surveyed and mapped, the ownership thereof, and the classification and assessment thereof as...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-115. Warranty in deed runs to purchaser who pays assessment
Where the land assessed by drainage commissioners under the provisions of this Article has been purchased since the making of the assessment by a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-116. Modification of assessments
(a) Relevy. - Where the court has confirmed an assessment for the construction of any public levee, ditch, or drain, and such assessment has...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-117. Subdistricts formed
Subdistricts may be formed by owners of land in main districts theretofore established in the manner provided for the organization of main districts. Such...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-118 through 156-120. Repealed by Session Laws 1961, c. 614, s. 11
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-121. Redress to dissatisfied landowners
Anyone owning land which has been reclassified by the board of viewers who is dissatisfied with their classification shall have the same redress as...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-122. Increase to extinguish debt
If in the opinion of the board of drainage commissioners it would help the sale of the maintenance or improvement bonds, or they would...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-123. Proceedings as for original bond issue
The compensation of the board of viewers and their assistants, together with all other expenses in connection with this bond issue, shall be paid...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-124. No drainage assessments for original object may be levied on property when once paid in full
Whenever any assessment has been made or may be made by any drainage district formed under the laws of the State of North Carolina...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-124.1. Repealed by Session Laws 1961, c. 614, s. 11

Article 9 - Adjustment of Delinquent Assessments.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-125. Adjustment by board of commissioners authorized
The board of commissioners of any drainage district may, in connection with the issuance of bonds for the purpose of refunding outstanding bonds of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-126. Extension of adjusted installments
Upon adjustment of delinquent installments of any assessment as provided herein, the payment of all delinquent installments so adjusted may be extended over a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-127. Special fund set up; distribution of collections
The collection of assessments adjusted under this Article and of interest accrued under G.S. 156-126 shall be set aside in a fund and shall...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-128. Approval of adjustments by Local Government Commission
Any adjustments of delinquent assessments under the provisions of this Article shall be effective only upon approval of the Local Government Commission. (1935, c....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-129. Amount of assessments limited; reassessments regulated
The assessments made under this Article shall in no instance, and against no piece of property, be greater in amount than that percent which...

Article 10 - Reports of Officers.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-130. Drainage commissioners to make statements
It shall be the duty of the commissioners of all drainage districts in the State of North Carolina organized under the provisions of the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-131. Annual report
At the end of each fiscal year the board of commissioners of all drainage districts in the State of North Carolina shall file with...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-132. Penalty for failure
Any board of commissioners of any drainage district in the State, and each of the members thereof, which shall fail or refuse to file...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-133. Auditor appointed; duties; compensation
The clerk of the superior court for the county where the district was organized, shall annually appoint an intelligent and competent person of sufficient...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-134. Duties of the auditor
The auditor for the drainage district will be required to examine the assessment roll and the records and accounts of the sheriff or tax...

Article 11 - General Provisions.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-135. Construction of drainage law
The provisions of this Subchapter shall be liberally construed to promote the leveeing, ditching, draining, and reclamation of wet and overflowed lands. The collection...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-135.1. Investment of surplus funds
Any drainage district organized under the provisions of Subchapter III of Chapter 156 of the General Statutes and the governing authority of same is...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-136. Removal of officers
Any engineer, viewer, superintendent of construction or other person appointed under this Chapter may be removed by the court, upon petition, for corruption, negligence...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-137. Local drainage laws not affected
This Subchapter shall not repeal or change any local drainage laws already enacted. (1909, c. 442, s. 38 1/2; C.S., s. 5381.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-138. Punishment for violating law as to drainage districts
If any person shall violate any of the provisions of law in reference to drainage districts as provided in this Chapter, or shall leave...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-138.1. Acquisition and disposition of lands; lease to or from federal or State government or agency thereof
The district may acquire any lands necessary or convenient to enable it to accomplish the purposes for which the district was established. If the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-138.3. Notice
Unless specifically required by the provisions of this Subchapter, it is not necessary to give notice to any landowner of a motion made to,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-138.4. Procedures to be followed in connection with drainage projects that involve channelization
Every drainage project that involves channelization shall be subject to the procedures set forth in G.S. 139-47. (1971, c. 1138, s. 4.)

Article 12 - Protection of Public Health.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-139. Cleaning and draining of streams, etc., under supervision of governmental agencies
When the board of commissioners of any county subject to the provisions of this Article shall, by resolution duly adopted, find as facts: (i)...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-140. Tax levy
In order to carry out and accomplish the objects and purposes of this Article, the board of commissioners of any such county may annually...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 156-141. Article applicable to certain counties only
This Article shall apply only to those counties which may have a population in excess of 100,000 persons. (1943, c. 553, s. 3.)

Last modified: March 23, 2014