Stearns County Ditch 10 (CD10)

Stearns County Ditch 10 (CD10) was established in 1904. The ditch is approximately 3.6 miles in length and contains roughly 894 benefitted acres. CD10 is not considered public waters.

Board Approved Special Assessment - 11/16/2022

The Stearns County Board of Commissioners acting as the drainage authority has approved special assessments for drainage system expenses totaling $791.94. The assessment is necessary to pay for costs incurred by the drainage system in 2022 for maintenance and to maintain a positive fund balance. The financial cost by parcel for all property owners in the drainage system is linked below.

Those properties with a special tax assessment of greater than $100.00 will receive a letter with the option to pre-pay the amount due or by taking no action, the amount due will be added to the 2023 property tax statement. For properties with an amount due of less than $100.00, the amount will be added to the 2023 property tax statement.

2022 Drainage system costs

- $167.58 - Inspection 4.5 hours

- $242.06 - Construction Management for new Co Rd 44 culverts over ditch 6.5 hours

- $132.30 - Auditor Special Assessment Set up fee Payable 2023

- $250.00 - Repair Fund - The repair fund is required to maintain a positive fund balance for routine maintenance

2022 Project Cost by Parcel

2022 Inspection

July 2022 Inspection Report

Proposed Special Tax Assessments

Proposed Special Tax Assessments for 2022 drainage system costs will be presented to the Stearns County Drainage Authority as the November 15, 2022 Board of Commissioners meeting. The assessment is necessary to pay for costs incurred by the drainage system in 2022. If approved, the special assessments will be certified to the 2023 property tax statements for property owners within the drainage system.

2022 Ditch Special Assessments Payable 2023

Informational Meeting

On Wednesday September 22, 2021, at 6:30pm, Stearns County staff hosted an informational meeting for all benefited property owners in the County Ditch 10 (CD10) Drainage System. A letter was mailled to all property owners within the CD10 drainage system on Sep 7, 2021 informing them about the meeting. At this meeting, we discussed some details and history of the ditch, explained your role as a land owner as well as the county role in administering CD10. We also shared information about an inspection and possible projects related to CD10.

The meeting location was the Warner Lake Nature Center located at 1485 County Road 143 Clearwater, MN 55320.

County Ditch 10 property owner presentation

This presentation was discussed at the meeting on September 22 and explains details of the ditch system as well as defining key terms and what they mean to you as a property owner. This information is important to you because as a benefited land owner within a drainage system, you are responsible for a share of any costs incurred by the drainage system in the form of special tax assessment.

CD10 Property Owner Presentation

Update: 10/15/2021

Thank you to everyone who took time to attend the September 22 meeting at Warner Lake. Based on input from property owners who attended or phoned, Stearns County has no immediate plans to pursue engineering on CD10. However, based on Minnesota Statute 103E, the possibility and likelihood of future projects remains as Stearns County is required to inspect and maintain County Ditch 10.

Original County Ditch 10 petition (December 18, 1903)

Original CD10 Petition

Overview Map of CD10