Chapter 4. District Powers And Purposes of California Water Code >> Division 17. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4.

The objects and purposes of a county drainage district shall be to provide for:
  (a) The control of storm and other waste waters of or within said district, including waters which arise outside said district and which flow or drain into or through the said district;
  (b) The protection from damage by storm or waste waters of private property and of public highways and other public property within said district;
  (c) The conservation of storm and waste waters for beneficial and useful purposes by spreading, storing, retaining or causing such waters, or any part thereof, to percolate into the soil within or without said district or the saving and conservation in any manner of any and all of such waters.

A county drainage district shall have the power:
  (a) To sue and be sued in its own name;
  (b) To adopt a seal;
  (c) To take by grant, purchase, gift, lease, devise or otherwise and to hold, use and enjoy real or personal property of every kind within or without the district necessary to or convenient for the full exercise of its powers;
  (d) To exercise the power of eminent domain to the full extent necessary to or convenient for the full exercise of its powers and to carry out the provisions of this act; provided, that if the exercise of such power requires the alteration or relocation of any facilities devoted to a public use, the cost of such alteration or relocation shall be borne by the district;
  (e) To make and accept all contracts, deeds, releases and documents of any kind which will be necessary or proper to the exercise of any of the powers of the district;
  (f) To direct the payment of all lawful claims and demands against the district;
  (g) To levy and collect taxes as hereinafter provided;
  (h) To issue bonds as hereinafter provided and provide for their payment;
  (i) To employ such engineers, experts, surveyors, counsel and other persons as are needed to carry into effect any powers of the district;
  (j) To acquire, construct, complete, operate and maintain a surface or underground drainage system or systems or combination thereof and such ditches, drains, conduits, pipelines, system of ditches, drains, conduits or pipelines or combinations thereof as may be determined necessary to accomplish the objects and purposes of the district;
  (k) Borrow money and incur indebtedness and guarantee the performance of its legal or contractual obligations whether heretofore or hereafter incurred; and also refund or retire any public indebtedness or lien that may exist against the district or any property therein which shall have arisen out of the transaction of the affairs of the district;
  (l) To sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any property of the district or any interest therein when it is no longer required for the purposes of the district or when its use may be permitted without interfering with its use by the district;
  (m) To do any other act to accomplish the objects and purposes of the district.

All ordinances of a county drainage district shall be adopted by the board of directors of the district, and shall be certified to, recorded, and published in the same manner as ordinances of a county. The initiative and referendum powers are hereby granted to the electors of a county drainage district to be exercised in relation to the enactment or rejection of ordinances of a county drainage district in accordance with the procedure established by the laws of this state for the exercise of those powers in relation to counties.