Drain Clean Outs

This letter concerns your property. This is to explain what we will be doing in your area and why:

  • Every County Drain provides an outlet for its district (or watershed)
  • All property or lands are in a drainage district. Boundaries of these are defined by location and history
  • All individual properties that reside within this boundary shall be liable for assessment
  • Some members of this district have petitioned to have this drain cleaned
  • A board of three uninterested Monroe County residents have decided this project is necessary at a meeting of your district. This is called the Board of Determination Meetings

After this meeting, I, as County Drain Commissioner, must act as manager for the involved district and do the following:

  1. Survey the drain and crossings
  2. Put together plans and specifications so competitive bids may be obtained
  3. Let the bid - Award the contract to lowest responsible bidder
  4. Follow project through completion. Provide inspection of project
  5. Assess the property within the district based on runoff
  6. Pay the contractor upon completion

Some Facts That You Should Know

  • Most County Drains have a 99 foot easement, 49 1/2 feet from the center of the drain either way
  • The property owner owns the drain. The County Drain Commissioner holds the easement to maintain the drain. Any excavation within the drain or right-of-way must be approved by the Drain Commissioner's Office

Typical Drain Cleaning Procedure

  1. All trees and brush in the Vee of the drain shall be removed so as not to impede water at high flows.
  2. You are responsible to flag your tile outlets.
  3. Most trees and brush must be removed from one side of the drain. Occasionally, desirable or ornamental trees may be flagged by owner. However, the contractor must have room to operate machinery.
  4. The side being cleared is presently determined by the contractor.
  5. The trees and brush will be windrowed or piled along the edge of right-of-way. The wood is a resource and belongs to the property for your use.
  6. The dirt (spoils) will be spread upon the right-of-way between the ditch bank and edge of right-of-way. This is also a resource and belongs to the property.
  7. This dirt usually is not spread immediately but must dry out. It is to be spread before project completion.

We receive many questions about why we do not remove the dirt, trees, and brush. This is to insure that the price of assessments in Monroe County remain reasonable. The most important part of these projects is the bottom of the ditch, not the top.

Remember, we manage your district and will try to accommodate the wishes of the district.