§9-9-27. Viewing and assessment of lands by board of viewers; report of findings.

(a) Within 30 days after qualifying, the board of viewers shall begin its duties, and it may at any time call upon the attorney of the district for legal advice and information relative to its duties. Said viewers shall proceed to view the premises and determine the value of all land and other property within or without the district to be acquired and used for rights-of-way or other works of drainage, leveeing, reclamation, flood prevention or for the conservation, development, utilization and disposal of water as set out in the water management plan. They shall assess the amount of benefits and the amount of damages, if any, that will accrue to each tract of 40 acres or less, according to the legal or recognized subdivisions of land according to ownership, to public highways, railroad and other rights-of-way, railroads, roadways and other property from carrying out and putting into effect the plan of water management. The engineer assisting the district or his representative shall accompany the board of viewers while it is viewing the lands of the district. The viewers, in assessing the benefits of lands, public highways, railroad and other rights-of-way, railroads, roadways and other property not traversed by such works and improvements as provided for in the plan of water management, shall not consider what benefits will be derived by such property after improvements or plans other than those incorporated in the plan of water management shall have been constructed, but they shall assess only such benefits as will be derived from the construction of the works of improvement specifically set out in the plan of water management or as the same may afford an outlet for drainage or protection from overflow of such property. The public highways, railroads and other rights-of-way, roadways, railroads and other property shall be assessed according to the increased physical efficiency and decreased maintenance cost of such roadways by reason of the protection to be derived from the proposed works of improvement. The board of viewers shall have no power to alter the plan of water management heretofore provided.

(b) The board of viewers shall prepare a report of its findings, which shall be arranged in tabular form, the columns of which shall be headed as follows: Column 1, "owner of property assessed"; column 2, "description of property assessed"; column 3, "number of acres assessed"; column 4, "amount of benefits assessed"; column 5, "number of acres taken for right-of-way"; column 6, "value of property taken for right-of-way"; and column 7, "damages awarded"; provided, that a mistake in the name of the owner of any lands assessed shall not invalidate the assessment. There shall be set out a description of the land and other property to be required for the right-of-way and for the uses and purposes of the district and the value of each tract or parcel thereof. Said report shall be signed by at least a majority of the board of viewers and filed with the court of probate of the county organizing said water management district.

(Acts 1965, No. 685, p. 1246, §20.)