FAQs • Miami County, IN • CivicEngage

What is a regulated drain?: A regulated drain is a drain under the jurisdiction of the Miami County Drainage Board and can be an agricultural drain, urban storm sewer or open drain. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

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Surveyor

1. Do you survey land?: No, we have registered land surveyors. Contact us and we would be happy to provide you with names and phone numbers.

2. What is GIS?: Simply put GIS, which is short for Geographic Information System, uses layers of geographical maps, including streets, buildings, neighborhoods, aerial photography, subterranean infrastructure, and more to provide a web-based information system.

3. What is Section Corner Perpetuation?: When the Continental Congress adopted the Land Ordinance of 1785, this signaled the beginning of the Rectangular Public Land Survey System as a way of dividing land owned by the federal government for transfer of ownership to the general public.

4. What is a regulated drain?: A regulated drain is a drain under the jurisdiction of the Miami County Drainage Board and can be an agricultural drain, urban storm sewer or open drain. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

5. Who are the Drainage Board?: The Miami County Drainage Board is made up of the Miami County Commissioners. The County Surveyor also serves on the Board as an ex-officio, non-voting member. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

6. How do I pay my drain assessment?: The assessment can be paid by mail or at the Miami County Treasurer’s Office at the Historic Courthouse. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

7. How can I get a hole fixed on a tile drain?: If the tile drain is regulated by the County and on a maintenance program, you can call or come into the Miami County Surveyor’s Office and fill out a Drainage Investigation Form. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

8. Is the tile or open drain on my property a county drain?: This can be determined by looking at the county regulated drain maps in our office and the petitioned drain route records. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

9. What determines whether a drain is regulated or private?: Regulated drains were established by the courts years ago. Today, they need to be petitioned for through the Miami County Drainage Board. If a drain is within the city limits of a town, the town would maintain jurisdiction. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

10. My neighbor has blocked or filled in the natural surface flow across their property, backing water upon my property. What recourse do I have?: In 1996, the private drainage law was established by the State Legislative Committee. The intent of the law is to protect property owners from obstructing natural drain way. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

11. Why do I pay an assessment and how is that money spent?: A drain maintenance assessment is paid into a fund for the maintenance and repair of that drain. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

12. Who determines who pays and how much?: Drainage Assessment rates are determined by the Miami County Drainage Board at public hearings. Each person affected is sent a notice of the hearing. The Drainage Board sets the rates based upon recommendations by the County Surveyor. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

13. Does the assessment go to the general fund?: No. Assessments go to a separate account for each individual regulated drain. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

14. What is the difference between an assessment and a tax?: An assessment is paid by people that benefit from the regulated drain that they are assessed to. Not everyone in Miami County lives within the drainage shed of a regulated drain and would not pay an assessment. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

15. Why do I pay a drainage assessment if the drain is not even located on my property?: Even though the drain may not physically run through your property, your property is within the Regulated Watershed and is benefited by the drain. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

16. What is the difference between a Drainage Easement and a Regulated Drain Easement?: A Drainage Easement (DE) is an area reserved for drainage facilities. An easement protects that area for current or future drainage needs. A Regulated Drain Easement protects drainage facilities operated by the County Drainage Board. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

17. What is that "ditch" in my backyard for?: That shallow v-shaped swale is for draining the rear of the lots and potential offsite water to a storm sewer inlet. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

18. Can I fill in the swale in my backyard?: Possibly - but only with an approved drainage plan. Filling in a swale will block drainage. Check with the proper jurisdiction for their regulations about piping a swale. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

19. Who should I contact to get permission?: If your swale has a Regulated Drain with it, you should contact the Miami County Surveyor's Office. If not, you will need to contact the Engineering Department for the local planning jurisdiction. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

20. Can I build sheds, playground equipment, etc. in the swale in my backyard?: No, this will block the drainage through the swale in the rear of the lots and prevent flow to a storm sewer inlet. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

21. What does the detention pond do?: Storm water collects into a detention area and is released at a slower rate. The purpose is to keep downstream land from being flooded out. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

22. What can I do about the geese problem?: Research has found that thick wetland plantings at the waters edge discourages geese from leaving the pond to walk on the bank and leave droppings by providing a natural barrier. It also may help discourage people from entering the pond.

Another method for keeping geese from leaving the pond is to run a string "fence" with a height of 4" - 6". A roll of kite string or similar is suitable to this task.

Contact a wetland biologist for more information. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

23. The builder is discharging my (or my neighbor's) sump pump across the ground and is causing a wet area in my yard. Is this correct?: This would depend on the jurisdiction you live in. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

24. Can I just outlet the sump pump on the surface?: We recommend connecting to an adequate storm sewer. Most newer subdivision lots provide an outlet for each lot to tie into. Outletting on the surface will cause a wet area and in some cases recycle back through the sump pump. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

25. Where can I discharge my sump pump?: If you live within a regulated subdivision an outlet should be provided to each property, if not this office recommends that the sump pump discharge to an adequate storm system. For more information please call 765-472-2544.

26. Does the office survey private property?: No. The office responsibility is maintaining section corners and maintaining regulated drains for the Drainage Board. For more information please call 765-472-2544.