61-16.1-10. Responsibilities and duties of water resource board

61-16.1-10. Responsibilities and duties of water resource board Each water resource board shall: 1. Meet jointly with other water resource boards within a common river basin at least twice each year at times and places as mutually agreed upon for the purpose of reviewing and coordinating efforts for the maximum benefit of the entire river basin. 2. Cooperate with other water resource boards of a common river basin and provide mutual assistance to the maximum extent possible. 3. Exercise jointly with other water resource districts within a river basin to effectively resolve the significant and common water resource management problem or problems of the river basin or region and to jointly develop a comprehensive plan for the river basin or region. 4. Encourage all landowners to retain water on the land to the maximum extent possible in accordance with sound water management policies, and carry out to the maximum extent possible the water management policy that upstream landowners and districts that have artificially altered the hydrologic scheme must share with downstream landowners the responsibility of providing for proper management and control of surface waters. 5. Address and consider fully in the planning of any surface water project the downstream impacts caused by the project. A determination of whether to proceed with the construction of a project shall be based on the following principles: a. Reasonable necessity of the project. b. Reasonable care to be taken to avoid unnecessary injury by fully considering all alternatives. c. Consideration of whether the utility or benefit accruing from the project reasonably outweighs the adverse impacts resulting from the project. 6. Require that appropriate easements be obtained in accordance with applicable state and federal law when projects will cause an adverse impact to lands of other landowners.