2005 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1239 – Ditch/canal, restoration, time

SENATE BILL NO. 1239

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Bill Status



S1239......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
DITCHES - RESTORATION - Amends existing law relating to change of ditch,
canal, lateral, drain or buried irrigation conduit to provide the time
limit when restoration shall be completed; to eliminate a requirement to
record locations; and to eliminate criminal penalties for failure to record
locations.
                                                                        
04/05    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
    Rpt prt - to St Aff
    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
    Rls susp - PASSED - 34-0-1
      AYES -- Brandt, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burkett, Burtenshaw, Cameron,
      Coiner, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Fulcher(Fulcher), Gannon,
      Geddes, Goedde, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough, Langhorst, Little,
      Lodge, Malepeai, Marley, McGee, McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson,
      Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Sweet, Werk, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Andreason
    Floor Sponsor - Williams
    Title apvd - to House
04/06    House intro - 1st rdg - to 2nd rdg
    Rls susp - PASSED - 69-0-1
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bastian, Bayer,
      Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Cannon,
      Chadderdon, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson,
      Ellsworth(Ellsworth), Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart,
      Harwood, Henbest, Henderson, Jaquet, Jones, Kemp, Lake, LeFavour,
      Loertscher, Martinez, Mathews, McGeachin, McKague, Miller, Mitchell,
      Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould,
      Ring(Roberge), Ringo, Roberts, Rusche, Rydalch, Sali, Sayler(Callen),
      Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley, Skippen, Smith(30),
      Smith(24), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Trail
    Floor Sponsor - Moyle
    Title apvd - to Senate
04/06    To enrol - Rpt enrol - Pres signed
04/07    Sp signed - To Governor
04/11    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 331
         Effective: 07/01/05

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1239
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO CHANGE OF DITCH, CANAL, LATERAL, DRAIN OR BURIED  IRRIGATION  CON-
  3        DUIT; AMENDING SECTION 42-1207, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE THE TIME LIMIT WHEN
  4        RESTORATION  SHALL  BE  COMPLETED AND TO ELIMINATE A REQUIREMENT TO RECORD
  5        LOCATIONS; AND AMENDING SECTION 18-4308, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE  THE  TIME
  6        LIMIT WHEN RESTORATION SHALL BE COMPLETED AND TO ELIMINATE CRIMINAL PENAL-
  7        TIES FOR FAILURE TO RECORD LOCATIONS.
                                                                        
  8    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  9        SECTION  1.  That  Section 42-1207, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 10    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 11        42-1207.  CHANGE OF DITCH, CANAL, LATERAL, DRAIN OR BURIED IRRIGATION CON-
 12    DUIT. Where any ditch, canal, lateral or drain or  buried  irrigation  conduit
 13    has  heretofore  been,  or may hereafter be, constructed across or beneath the
 14    lands of another, the person or persons owning or controlling said land  shall
 15    have  the  right  at their own expense to change said ditch, canal, lateral or
 16    drain or buried irrigation conduit to any other part of said  land,  but  such
 17    change  must  be  made in such a manner as not to impede the flow of the water
 18    therein, or to otherwise injure any person or persons using or  interested  in
 19    such  ditch,  canal,  lateral  or  drain  or  buried  irrigation  conduit. Any
 20    increased operation and maintenance shall be the responsibility of  the  land-
 21    owner who makes the change.
 22        A landowner shall also have the right to bury the ditch, canal, lateral or
 23    drain  of another in pipe on the landowner's property, provided that the pipe,
 24    installation and backfill reasonably meet  standard  specifications  for  such
 25    materials  and  construction,  as  set forth in the Idaho standards for public
 26    works construction or other standards recognized by  the  city  or  county  in
 27    which  the  burying  is to be done. The right and responsibility for operation
 28    and maintenance shall remain with the owner of the ditch,  canal,  lateral  or
 29    drain,  but the landowner shall be responsible for any increased operation and
 30    maintenance costs, including rehabilitation and replacement, unless  otherwise
 31    agreed in writing with the owner.
 32        The  written  permission of the owner of a ditch, canal, lateral, drain or
 33    buried irrigation conduit must first be  obtained  before  it  is  changed  or
 34    placed in buried pipe by the landowner.
 35        While  the  owner  of  a ditch, canal, lateral, drain or buried irrigation
 36    conduit shall have no right to relocate it on the property of another  without
 37    permission,  a  ditch,  canal,  lateral or drain owner shall have the right to
 38    place it in a buried conduit within the easement or right-of-way on the  prop-
 39    erty  of  another  in  accordance with standard specifications for pipe, mate-
 40    rials, installation and backfill, as set forth in the Idaho standards for pub-
 41    lic works construction or other standards recognized by the city or county  in
 42    which  the burying is to be done, and so long as the pipe and the construction
 43    is accomplished in a manner that the surface of the owner's property  and  the
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    owner's use thereof is not disrupted and is restored to the condition of adja-
  2    cent  property  as  expeditiously  as  possible, but not to exceed five (5) no
  3    longer than thirty (30) days after the start  completion  of  construction.  A
  4    landowner  shall  have  the right to direct that the conduit be relocated to a
  5    different route than the route of the ditch, canal, lateral or drain, provided
  6    that the landowner shall agree in writing to be responsible for any  increased
  7    construction  or  future  maintenance  costs  necessitated by said relocation.
  8    Maintenance of the buried conduit shall be the responsibility of  the  conduit
  9    owner.
 10        No more than five (5) days after the start of construction, a landowner or
 11    ditch  owner who buries a ditch, canal, lateral, or drain in pipe shall record
 12    the location and specifications of the buried irrigation or drainage  conduit,
 13    including  primary and secondary easements, in the county in which the burying
 14    is done, and shall provide the irrigation or drainage  entity  that  owns  the
 15    ditch,  canal,  lateral  or drain, with a copy of such location and specifica-
 16    tions and the construction plans utilized. The irrigation or  drainage  entity
 17    shall keep and maintain such records and have them available for the public.
                                                                        
 18        SECTION  2.  That  Section 18-4308, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 19    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 20        18-4308.  CHANGE OF DITCH, CANAL, LATERAL, DRAIN OR BURIED IRRIGATION CON-
 21    DUIT. Where any ditch, canal, lateral or drain has  heretofore  been,  or  may
 22    hereafter  be,  constructed across or beneath the lands of another, the person
 23    or persons owning or controlling the said land, shall have the  right  at  his
 24    own  expense  to change said ditch, canal, lateral, drain or buried irrigation
 25    conduit to any other part of said land, but such change must be made in such a
 26    manner as not to impede the flow of the water therein, or to otherwise  injure
 27    any person or persons using or interested in such ditch, canal, lateral, drain
 28    or buried irrigation conduit. Any increased operation and maintenance shall be
 29    the responsibility of the landowner who makes the change.
 30        A landowner shall also have the right to bury the ditch, canal, lateral or
 31    drain  of another in pipe on the landowner's property, provided that the pipe,
 32    installation and backfill reasonably meet  standard  specifications  for  such
 33    materials  and  construction,  as  set forth in the Idaho standards for public
 34    works construction or other standards recognized by  the  city  or  county  in
 35    which  the  burying  is to be done. The right and responsibility for operation
 36    and maintenance shall remain with the owner of the ditch,  canal,  lateral  or
 37    drain,  but the landowner shall be responsible for any increased operation and
 38    maintenance costs, including rehabilitation and replacement, unless  otherwise
 39    agreed in writing with the owner.
 40        The  written  permission of the owner of a ditch, canal, lateral, drain or
 41    buried irrigation conduit must first be  obtained  before  it  is  changed  or
 42    placed in buried pipe by the landowner.
 43        While  the  owner  of  a ditch, canal, lateral, drain or buried irrigation
 44    conduit shall have no right to relocate it on the property of another  without
 45    permission,  a  ditch,  canal,  lateral or drain owner shall have the right to
 46    place it in a buried conduit within the easement or right-of-way on the  prop-
 47    erty  of  another  in  accordance with standard specifications for pipe, mate-
 48    rials, installation and backfill, as set forth in the Idaho standards for pub-
 49    lic works construction or other standards recognized by the city or county  in
 50    which  the burying is to be done, and so long as the pipe and the construction
 51    is accomplished in a manner that the surface of the owner's property  and  the
 52    owner's use thereof is not disrupted and is restored to the condition of adja-
 53    cent  property  as  expeditiously  as  possible, but not to exceed five (5) no
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1    longer than thirty (30) days after the start  completion  of  construction.  A
  2    landowner  shall  have  the right to direct that the conduit be relocated to a
  3    different route than the route of the ditch, canal, lateral or drain, provided
  4    that the landowner shall agree in writing to be responsible for any  increased
  5    construction  or  future  maintenance  costs  necessitated by said relocation.
  6    Maintenance of the buried conduit shall be the responsibility of  the  conduit
  7    owner.
  8        No more than five (5) days after the start of construction, a landowner or
  9    ditch  owner  who buries a ditch, canal, lateral or drain in pipe shall record
 10    the location and specifications of the buried irrigation or drainage  conduit,
 11    including primary and secondary easements,  in the county in which the burying
 12    is  done,  and  shall  provide the irrigation or drainage entity that owns the
 13    ditch, canal, lateral, or drain, with a copy of such location  and  specifica-
 14    tions  and  the construction plans utilized. The irrigation or drainage entity
 15    shall keep and maintain such records and have them available for the public.
 16        Any person or persons who relocate or bury  a  ditch,  canal,  lateral  or
 17    drain  contrary  to the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misde-
 18    meanor.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


          

                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                            RS 15238

This legislation amends section 42-1207 and section 18-4308,
Idaho Code, to provide a more reasonable time for the
rehabilitation of adjacent lands when large irrigation and
drainage projects are undertaken by ditch and conduit owners, and
it would provide more time for the constructor of the project to
record the specifications and location of the buried conduit. An
amendment to Section 18-4308, Idaho Code, would eliminate any
criminal liability for failure to record the specifications of
the buried irrigation conduit or drain. 
                                 

                          FISCAL NOTE 

There is no fiscal impact. 




                                             
                                        
Contact Name: 
Norm Semanko, Idaho Water Users Assn. 
Phone: (208) 344-6690 


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                         S 1239 


  REVISED           REVISED          REVISED          REVISED