1. Immediately after establishing a district as provided in this chapter, the county commission shall, by an order of record, direct the viewers and engineer theretofore appointed or appoint others possessing the same qualifications, who shall proceed to view the lands and other property in the district and establish the precise location where, in their judgment, the proposed improvement will prove most efficient and shall determine the dimensions and form of the proposed ditch, levee or other improvement. They may, if deemed best, vary from the line or lines of the ditches described in the petition provided they follow the line as nearly as practicable. If necessary to obtain sufficient fall or outlet they may extend the outlet below the point named in the petition. When practicable, the ditches shall be located on division lines between lands owned by different persons but the general utility of the ditches shall not be sacrificed to avoid diagonal lines. The engineer shall make a survey of each ditch, levee or other improvement and prepare profiles thereof, showing the natural surface and the grade lines and he shall estimate the number of cubic yards of earth or other substance to be removed and shall specify and estimate all other work required. He shall prepare a map of the district showing the lands, roads and railroads and other property which will be affected by the construction of said proposed improvement which shall also show the approximate location thereof, the boundary line of each tract of land, or other property, the location of each corporate road or railroad, together with such other data as the viewers and engineer may deem necessary for the information of the county commission.

2. Whenever the construction of any ditch, levee or other work specified in this section will destroy the witness marks of any land corner, the engineer shall note such fact and shall note other witnesses for said corner and describe them and give the bearing and distance of same from said corner in the report of his work. The engineer shall also prepare and file a complete record of the corners and witness marks thereto destroyed and reestablished and noted and shall file the same in the office of the county surveyor who shall record the same in the records of his office. The engineer may, at the expense of the district and with the approval of the county commission, employ the necessary assistants in making surveys, maps and profiles and secure the services of a consulting engineer or expert advice.

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3. The said viewers and engineer shall make a schedule of lands in tracts of forty acres or less or government subdivision of sections or other surveys and all railroads and other property within said drainage district which will be benefitted or damaged by or for said improvements, which schedule shall show the owner or owners of each tract of land, road, railroad or other property, so far as they are able by diligent effort to ascertain. They shall assess the amount of benefits and the amount of damages, if any, that will accrue and result to each tract of land, road, railroad or other property by the construction of the improvements and shall prepare a report of their findings in tabular form, the columns of which shall be headed as follows: Column one, “owner of property assessed”; column two, “description of property assessed”; column three, “number of acres assessed”; column four, “amount of benefits assessed”; column five, “damages awarded”.

4. They shall also prepare and include in their report a description of the land and other property within or without the district necessary to be acquired for right-of-way of ditches and other improvements, and they shall determine and set out the value of each tract of land or other property necessary to be acquired. They shall also make an estimate of the total cost of the improvements, including the cost of organizing said drainage district, the payment of all damages, the cost of property required, and the incidental expenses necessary for conducting its affairs.