What are regulated drains?

"A regulated drain is an open drain, a tiled drain or a combination of the two." Ind. Code § 36-9-27- 2

A regulated or legal drain refers to a creek/ditch that is maintained by the county surveyor and the drainage board under Indiana Drainage Codes. This can include agricultural drains, urban storm sewers, or open drains. These drains are classified in different ways based on their level of maintenance. Citizens can request that a drain's status be changed or to instate a new drain to be regulated.

​"If a drain is regulated, “[t]he county surveyor is the technical authority on the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance” of the existing or proposed drain and should be able to inform you of the status of the drain." Ind. Code § 36-9-27-29

Due to the status protections of regulated drains, those who wish to make changes to a legal drain or to provide maintenance to one needs to consult with their county surveyor before taking any action. 

Further reading on regulated drains in Indiana:
Legal Considerations for Solving Drainage Problems
https://www.sjcindiana.com/DocumentCenter/View/10526/Legal-Considerations-for-Solving-Drainage-Problems?bidId=#:~:text=Regulated%20drains-,A%20regulated%20drain%20is%20an%20open%20drain%2C%20a%20tiled%20drain,a%20combination%20of%20the%20two.

Legal Considerations for Solving Drainage Problems link

Indiana Drainage Handbook
https://www.in.gov/dnr/water/files/allhbook.pdf

Indiana Drainage Handbook link

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2023 Regulated drains in Warrick county

Main Drain	Branched Drain	Length in Linear Ft.
Coles Creek	Bryon Skelton Ditch	​​4,428
.	Carlislse Prong	​21,000
.	Charles Douglas Ditch	​4,000
.	Hay Fork Ditch​	14,975
.	Hendrickson Ditch​	3,234
.	Hoskinson Ditch	13,100
.	​Hunt Trail Ditch	​21,343
.	​J.N. Scales Ditch	9,000
.	​J.R. Scales Ditch	15,000
.	​K & H Lateral	14,280
.	​McClary Fork Ditch	​12,836
.	​Other Laterals	79,800
.	​Pervis Drain	3,821
.	​Powers Ditch	2,637
.	​Shelton Knapp Ditch	4,179
.	​Skelton Knapp Lateral	2,985
.	​Skelton Prong	5,800
.	​Ward Ditch	4,400
.	​Wright Ditch	6,020
Summer Pecka	Other Laterals	18,000
Little Pigeon Creek	Davis Enlow Ditch	3,234
.	Johnson Ditch	6,169
.	North Fork	198,300
.	​Pruitt Ditch	8,955
Hutchinson Ditch	--------------------------------
Weinsheimer	Allen Schnapf Ditch	6,650
.	Angel Ditch	9,500
.	Angel Ditch-Urban Drain	1,900
.	Broshears Ditch	6,600
.	​Castle Garden Ditch	2,836
.	Edwards Ditch	​18,743
.	​Edwards Ditch II	4,200
.	Gardner-Webb Ditch	19,683
.	Gardner-Webb Lateral #1	​2,189
.	Gardner-Webb-Urban Brooklyn Ridge Sub	1,314
.	​Gardner-Webb-Urban Drain	​2,803
.	​Howard Ditch	18,000
.	Lockwood Ditch	​16,000
.	​Sprengel Ditch	8,500
.	Tanglewood Ditch	1,542
.	Tanglewood Ditch-Urban Drain	2,737
.	​Williams Ditch	4,726
Barrenfork	​Daniel Huegel Ditch	​12,600
.	Ellison Ditch	15,323
.	​Hass Ditch	4,527
.	​Knapp Ditch	2,000
.	Knapp Lateral	697
.	Lennis Hart Ditch	5,200
.	​McClary Ditch	12,500
.	​Polk Ditch	8,557
.	​Schnepper Ditch	​6,100
.	​White Ditch	​2,040
Polkberry	​Other Laterals	​22,139
.	Raber Ditch	​7,020
.	​Robinson Ditch	20,000