Section 2-6-33. Powers of districts and supervisors; prerequisites to exercise

   A soil and water conservation district shall be an agency of this state. Such district and the supervisors thereof shall have, in addition to other powers granted in this article, the following powers; provided, however, that before the supervisors shall have the authority to exercise any of the powers conferred in this Code section, they shall formulate and submit to the commission for its approval a program or programs of projects and operations, proposed changes in which may be submitted for the approval of the commission from time to time, and shall not undertake any of such work until after such program or programs shall have been approved in writing by the commission; and provided, further, that no provision with respect to the acquisition, operation, or disposition of property by public bodies of this state shall be applicable to a district unless the General Assembly shall specifically so state:

   (1) To conduct surveys, investigations, and research relating to the character of soil erosion and the preventive and control measures needed; to publish the results of such surveys, investigations, or research; and to disseminate information concerning such preventive and control measures, provided that in order to avoid duplication of research activities, no district shall initiate any research program except in cooperation with the government of this state or any of its agencies or with the government of the United States or any of its agencies;

   (2) To conduct demonstrational projects within the district on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district, upon obtaining the consent of the owner and occupiers of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands, in order to demonstrate by example the means, methods, and measures by which soil and soil resources may be conserved and soil erosion in the form of soil blowing and soil washing may be prevented and controlled;

   (3) To carry out preventive and control measures within the district, including, but not limited to, engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, changes in the use of land, and the measures listed in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 2-6-21, on lands owned or controlled by this state or any of its agencies, with the cooperation of the agency administering and having jurisdiction thereof, and on any other lands within the district, upon obtaining the consent of the owner and the occupiers of such lands or the necessary rights or interests in such lands;

   (4) To cooperate and enter into agreements with and, within the limits of appropriations duly made available to the district by law, to furnish financial or other aid to any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any owner or occupier of lands within the district, in the carrying on of erosion control or prevention operations within the district, subject to such conditions as the supervisors may deem necessary to advance the purposes of this article;

   (5) To obtain options upon and to acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise, any property, real or personal, or any rights or interests therein; to maintain, administer, and improve any properties acquired; to receive income from such properties and to expend such income in carrying out the purposes and provisions of this article; and to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any of its property or interests therein, in furtherance of the purposes and provisions of this article, provided that title to all property acquired shall be taken in the name of the State of Georgia;

   (6) To make available to landowners and occupiers of land within the district, on such terms as it prescribes, agricultural and engineering machinery and equipment, fertilizer, seeds and seedlings, and such other material or equipment as will assist such landowners and occupiers of land to carry on operations upon their lands for the conservation of soil resources and for the prevention or control of soil erosion;

   (7) To construct, improve, and maintain such structures as may be necessary or convenient for the performance of any of the operations authorized in this article;

   (8) To develop comprehensive plans for the conservation of soil resources and for the control and prevention of soil erosion within the district, which plans shall specify, in such detail as may be possible, the acts, procedures, performances, and avoidances which are necessary or desirable for the effectuation of such plans, including engineering operations, methods of cultivation, the growing of vegetation, cropping programs, tillage practices, and changes in the use of land; and to publish such plans and information and bring them to the attention of owners and occupiers of lands within the district;

   (9) To take over, by purchase, lease, or otherwise, and to administer any soil conservation, erosion control, or erosion prevention project located within its boundaries which was first undertaken by the United States or any of its agencies or by this state or any of its agencies; to manage, as agent of the United States or any of its agencies or of this state or any of its agencies, any soil conservation, erosion control, or erosion prevention project within its boundaries; to act as agent for the United States or any of its agencies or for this state or any of its agencies, in connection with the acquisition, construction, operation, or administration of any soil conservation, erosion control, or erosion prevention project within its boundaries; to accept donations, gifts, and contributions in money, services, materials, or otherwise from the United States or any of its agencies, from this state or any of its agencies, or from others and to use or expend such money, services, materials, or other contributions in carrying on its operations, including promotion of conservation and conservation education;

   (10) To have a seal, which shall be judicially noticed; to have perpetual succession unless terminated as provided in this article; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers; and to make, amend, and repeal rules and regulations not inconsistent with this article, in order to carry into effect its purposes and powers.

Ga. L. 1937, p. 377, § 8; Ga. L. 1962, p. 116, § 3; Ga. L. 1988, p. 269, § 12; Ga. L. 1998, p. 207, § 1.