Article 1. Acquisition Of Property of California Water Code >> Division 11. >> Part 5. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.

A district may acquire by any means any property or interest in property to carry out its purposes, including any of the following:
  (a) Property for the construction, improvement, and operation of works in this state or in any other state or in a foreign nation.
  (b) Works being constructed.
  (c) Stock of domestic or foreign corporations owning water, water rights, canals, water works, franchises, concessions, or rights.
  (d) Works by which land has been or may be supplied with water for irrigation.
  (e) Property not otherwise authorized herein that may be required as a condition to obtaining state financial assistance for local projects as set forth in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 12880), of Part 6, Division 6, of the Water Code.
  (f) Public buildings and grounds.

Any property necessary for the purposes of the district may be acquired by the district and held subject to any liens, incumbrances, or obligations on it at the time of its acquisition.

If any road, railroad, canal, or other property subject or devoted to public use will become subject to flooding or other interference by reason of the construction or proposed construction of any works of a district, the district may acquire the right to flood or otherwise interfere with the property, whether or not it is publicly or privately owned.

If by a judgment or agreement a district is required to relocate any road, railroad, canal, or other property subject or devoted to public use, the district may acquire all property necessary to comply with the agreement or judgment and make conveyances of the relocated road, railroad, canal, or other property to comply with the agreement or judgment.

The right is hereby granted to locate, construct, and maintain any of the works of a district on any land which is now or hereafter owned by the State.

There is given, dedicated, and set apart for the uses and purposes of each district all water and water rights belonging to this State within the district.

A district may construct any works across any watercourse, road, railway, conduit, or other property subject or devoted to public use in a manner that will afford security to life and property. The district shall restore the property crossed as near as may be to its former state or so as not to have impaired unnecessarily its usefulness.

A district may on terms its board deems for the best interests of the district take a deed or release from any claimant, including any other taxing or assessing agency, to any interest in any property owned or claimed by the district.

A district may purchase pursuant to law property tax sold or tax deeded to the State on which the district has a claim, lien, or deed for unpaid assessments or any right, title, interest, or claim.

Any district when it appears to its board to be for the best interest of the district may discharge with or without compromise any overlapping tax or assessment liens equal or superior in rank to those of the district existing on any property to which the district has title and may purchase any outstanding tax or assessment titles existing on the property equal or superior in rank to the title of the district.

A district may notwithstanding any other provisions of this division use any of its funds to carry out the provisions of Section 22434 and may with these funds purchase written evidences of indebtedness of overlapping taxing or assessing agencies for this purpose.

A district may in its name take conveyances, leases, contracts, or other assurances for all property acquired by it.

The title to all property acquired by a district is held in trust for its uses and purposes. The district may hold, use, acquire, manage, sell, or lease the property as provided in this division.

(a) A district which is the owner of an easement for an open canal or other water conveyance facility for the transportation of water across lands not owned by the district, other than an easement evidenced by a written grant or judgment providing a legal description of the easement, has a secondary easement on each side of the open canal or other water conveyance facility for the maintenance, repair, cleaning, operation, and control of the open canal or other water conveyance facility and other use as may reasonably be required by the district in exercising those rights and in the maintenance, repair, cleaning, and operation of that easement and open canal or other water conveyance facility with equipment owned by, or available to, the district for that use at the time the rights are exercised. The duration of the secondary easement shall be for as long as the district, or its successors or assigns, continues to own the open canal or other water conveyance facility easement regardless of what use has or has not been made of the secondary easement.
  (b) The owner or any lessee of the land upon which a secondary easement is located may use the surface of the land upon which the secondary easement is located for his or her own purposes to the extent that use does not unreasonably interfere with the district's ownership or use of the secondary easement or the open canal or other water conveyance facility easement. Any encroachment or obstruction placed or permitted upon the secondary easement by the owner or any lessee of the land, which unreasonably interferes with the secondary easement or the open canal or other water conveyance facility easement, may be removed by the district at the owner's or lessee's expense, or by legal action filed by the district.
  (c) This section shall not be construed to limit the right of a district or of any person to acquire any easement by prescription or condemnation or to enter into a written agreement concerning an easement or secondary easement upon terms agreed to by the parties.