Beltrami County Highway
Ditch 35
Judicial Ditch Number 35 provides surface water drainage within portions of the southwest corner of Northern Township and the extreme eastern edge of Eckles Township and lies wholly within Beltrami County. The ditch system is made up of three separate drainages and comprised of both man-made ditches and natural streams, all of which outlet into Lake Bemidji. A total of 2,834 acres of land and two roads were benefitted by the ditch system at the time of its construction.
Since the time of construction, the ditch has become overgrown, silted in and clogged with debris to the point where its function is degraded. While some isolated areas are more troublesome than others, the entire system should be looked at to restore its original capacity and use.
Most of the repair and cleaning expenses incurred to date have been paid out of local tax funds rather than by the owners of the lands benefitted by the function of the ditch. One exception has been the replacement of culverts through State and County State Aid Highways that were replaced or repaired using transportation tax dollars.