Neighbor isuses

[MossRoad]

There's the rub... we can't alter the county's ditches, and we can't drain federal wetlands even if we own the land under them. We have to be careful as to what we can and cannot add to the ditch. If your land already slopes toward the ditch, it's pretty much a given that it drains your property. Where it leave your property, and downstream, you get concerned about the "what ifs" as in, what if someone downstream blocks the ditch, how far upstream will it back up? Being very low sloped land around here, it's easy to flood out huge areas of land with only a 1 or 2' high blockage.

When a ditch is on a property line, what the guy across the ditch does can affect your place if he blocks the ditch, or adds water to the ditch that it wasn't designed to handle at peak.

Anyhow, it's always best to talk with the neighbors if possible, and to talk with the local/federal authorities as to how to proceed/do nothing/repair before doing anything involving county ditches and federal wetlands.

 

[mx1alex]

I know I'd be pissed as **** if I was sent a certified letter without my neighbor even trying to talk to me about it.

 

[MossRoad]

I know I'd be pissed as **** if I was sent a certified letter without my neighbor even trying to talk to me about it.

Yep. It's usually better to talk face to face first, if possible.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Just my opinion, and yes I'd be SUPER pixxed getting a certified letter!
I wouldn't say anything to the neighbor about anything unless it's real important. If I did, like the wetlands issue, I'd first have to have an alternative that will work. Why is he draining it? What's the alternative? Is it that big of an issue, etc.
I'm sure it took him time & money putting in the drain. Maybe he needs it drained to use land for something...who knows. Maybe he thought it was a nuisance (mosquitoes).
Getting involved in someone else's affairs is a problem unless you have an alternative solution.

 

[Oldpath05]

Sound like to me neighbor is already not easy to work with, it happens therefore I'd wait see if the trees fall, there enough BS going on right now, at least in my area. This thread reminds me of the beaver story.......

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Just my opinion, and yes I'd be SUPER pixxed getting a certified letter!
I wouldn't say anything to the neighbor about anything unless it's real important. If I did, like the wetlands issue, I'd first have to have an alternative that will work. Why is he draining it? What's the alternative? Is it that big of an issue, etc.
I'm sure it took him time & money putting in the drain. Maybe he needs it drained to use land for something...who knows. Maybe he thought it was a nuisance (mosquitoes).
Getting involved in someone else's affairs is a problem unless you have an alternative solution.

I agree with you for the most part, but... I believe owning land has a stewardship level of commitment as well; draining wetland habitat is a big no-no.

 

[RSR]

I find it interesting that most individuals on this forum are fiercely independent, and resent even the idea of someone telling them what to do with their time, land, guns, taxes, etc. I don't disagree with that sentiment.

It strikes me, then, as wildly incongruent to use some nebulous statement like "we are all stewards of the land" to justify clearly encroaching on someone else's way of life, potentially causing major fallout, over an issue for which you have absolutely zero authority to enforce.

It's no different than spying on your neighbors to make sure they aren't up to any other underhanded funny business in their lives. Would you accept, furthermore welcome, that kind of scrutiny into your own life? If not, it's probably best not to bring it on your neighbor.

Yes, having family in Northern Indiana, I appreciate that water is a shared resource/nuisance. But, if you think it's a problem, mention it to the authorities that actually have the responsibility for these types of things, and then let it go.

Quite frankly, the OP's post reads to me as someone that is, and has been, disgruntled with their neighbor for quite some time, and has simply found a new scab to pick at.

Let it go.

 

[Fuddy1952]

The pendulum never lands in the middle as the saying goes. Years ago as we approached Richmond the smell was awful, when we crossed the James River we could see thousands of dead fish...never seen so many in one area before.
So it goes from factories dumping carcinogenic chemicals by the truckload to saving the endangered spotted salamander.
Lots of wetlands are man made. Years ago my Dad diverted our creek a little and a low spot became a wetland with cattails, frogs, etc. Then the highway department came along and drained it. That was then...now they couldn't do that.
It's usually best to leave well enough alone.

 

[two_bit_score]

From what I understand, I live about 9-10 miles from the OP. Never met him. Don't know where his house is. Just the general area. But we both live in the same county under the same rules, so we have that in common. He has mentioned on TBN in the past that he has a county maintained drainage ditch on his property. So do I. So we have that in common. He mentioned that his neighbor has a federally protected wetland on his property. I have a federally protected wetland on my property. So I'm familiar with what you can and cannot do on your own property in regards to those wetlands.

As I mentioned, if someone upstream of the aquifer that you are on does something to the aquifer, it can affect you drastically, so that makes it your business. We have a surface aquifer here. Pretty much all of this part of northern Indiana is similar, not just this county. So it's up to all of us that live here to protect that aquifer and question when something seems out of place, as it can effect not just me, but everyone downstream from me.

Some concerns are legit. Nobody wants anyone poisoning the well.

But when the ‘common good’ is used as a pretext to Jack someone around it’s not honorable or good. I hope it’s not your intent to participate is treacherous activity.

 

[MossRoad]

WOTUS has been a pain in the rear for many landowners when it's taken to extreme lengths. Kinda getting the idea here that what this is really all about is a way ti hassel the OP's neighbor for some reason and it is beginning to sound like you are in on it also.

Some concerns are legit. Nobody wants anyone poisoning the well.

But when the 祖ommon good is used as a pretext to Jack someone around it痴 not honorable or good. I hope it痴 not your intent to participate is treacherous activity.

The wetlands rules in these parts are quite interesting...

Wetland rules