1. (a) Except as provided by this section and subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 19-270, and amendments thereto, all of the rights, powers, authority and jurisdiction conferred on counties and boards of county commissioners by the provisions of K.S.A. 19-3301, 19-3302, 19-3303, 19-3304, 19-3305, 19-3306, 19-3308 and 19-3309, and amendments thereto, also are conferred upon and vested in any drainage district traversed or touched by the Kansas river, and contiguous to or including a part of a city of the first class, and the governing body thereof.

2. (b) The governing body of any such drainage district, in the name of the drainage district, shall have the power to enter into undertakings and contracts and make agreements in like manner and for like purposes as the board of county commissioners are authorized by this act to enter into undertakings and contracts and make agreements in the name of the county; and may acquire lands, rights of way and easements either within or without the limits of the drainage district for like purposes as the board of county commissioners are authorized by K.S.A. 19-3302 and 19-3308, and amendments thereto, by purchase, gift or by eminent domain proceedings in the manner prescribed by K.S.A. 26-501 to 26-516, inclusive, and amendments thereto, and may issue general obligation bonds of the drainage district to pay the costs thereof and expenses connected therewith in the manner provided by law. The aggregate of any such bonds so issued shall not be in excess of 3 1/2% of the total assessed tangible valuation of the drainage district. The governing body of any drainage district may issue additional general obligation bonds of the drainage district for such purposes not in excess of 1 1/2% of the total assessed tangible valuation of the drainage district, but before such additional bonds may be issued, the governing body of the drainage district shall submit the question of the issuance of such additional bonds and the amount thereof to the qualified electors of the drainage district at a regular drainage district election or at a special election called for that purpose as provided by law. The total aggregate of all such bonds which may be issued under the provisions of this section shall not be in excess of 5% of the total assessed tangible valuation of the drainage district. Such bonds shall not be subject to, nor included in any restrictions or limitations upon the amount of bonded indebtedness of the drainage district contained in any other law.

   Funds received from the sale of bonds by any such drainage district may be used to pay any loss, damage or expense for which the drainage district or the governing body thereof may be liable in like manner as counties are authorized to pay such loss, damage or expense under the provisions of K.S.A. 19-3304, and amendments thereto.

3. (c) For the purposes of maintaining and operating such flood control works as shall be constructed by the United States army corps of engineers or other agencies of the United States government, when the same shall have been completed and turned over to the drainage district, and for the purpose of maintaining and operating any flood control works or dikes heretofore or hereafter constructed for the purpose of protecting such drainage district from floods, the governing body of such drainage district shall be empowered to make an annual tax levy upon all the taxable tangible property within the drainage district, of not to exceed one mill and such levy shall be in addition to all other levies authorized or limited by law.

4. (d) Except as provided by this subsection, the governing body of the drainage district may regulate excavations within the boundaries in the same manner provided by K.S.A. 19-3309, and amendments thereto. Applications for permits shall be submitted to and reviewed by the district engineer. If the engineer determines that the proposed excavation shall be detrimental or will impair or endanger the function of any flood protection works, permission for such excavation shall be denied. If the engineer determines that a restricted or conditional permit for excavation can be granted to the applicant which will not be detrimental or will not impair or endanger the function of such flood protection works, the engineer shall issue such restricted or conditional permit. If the engineer determines that no impairment of or danger to such flood protection works will occur as a result of such excavation, the engineer shall issue a permit to the applicant. The issuance of any permits hereunder shall not authorize the violation of any existing zoning laws or building codes.

   Any person feeling aggrieved by the determination of the engineer may appeal such decision in writing to the governing body of the drainage district within 10 days of determination and the governing body after a public hearing may affirm, reverse or modify the determination.

5. (e) It shall be the duty of the governing body of the drainage district to keep all such flood control works and dikes in serviceable condition and to make such repairs as may be necessary.

L. 1957, ch. 188, § 1; L. 1963, ch. 234, § 54; L. 1986, ch. 70, § 23; L. 1995, ch. 210, § 3; May 4.