Whenever a railroad passes over or along land in this state subject to overflow by any river or creek and such land is protected, or may be hereafter protected, by levees constructed to protect such land from overflows and such levees abut on or connect with the right-of-way of the railroad, it is hereby made the duty of any person, persons or corporations owning or operating railroads to continue and maintain the levee from the point where it approaches and abuts on the railroad right-of-way to the railroad embankment and to make the levee connect therewith. And such continuation of levee shall be on a level with the top of the levee of the landowner as it abuts on the railroad right-of-way.