In order to carry out conservation of the natural resources of the state through land utilization, flood control, and other needs, upon sound scientific principles, for the protection of the public health and welfare and the provident use of the natural resources, the creation of a public corporation as an agency of the state for the aforesaid purposes is herein provided. This chapter shall be construed and administered so as to make effective the following state policy:

(1) The general welfare of the people of South Dakota requires that the land and water resources of the state be conserved and put to optimum beneficial use.

(2) Worthwhile land and water resource developments by the people and organizations in the state are to be encouraged in every way possible by state government and state government shall control, coordinate, and regulate the interrelationship of, and interdependence of, land and water resource projects in order to assure and maintain maximum benefits to the people of the state.

(3) To this end, construction of land and water resource projects in the state shall receive the review, approval, and assistance of the administering agency of state government to the extent that proposed project works are complementary with other existing and proposed developments.

(4) To this end, also, land and water resource development project proposals shall include adequate attention to continuous maintenance in order to assure that the works constructed shall continue to provide the service for which they were built and sponsors of such projects and responsible administrators of state government shall perform their duties in such a manner as to assure the benefits that accrue to the people directly affected by land and water developments are maintained and do not become a menace to or produce damage to the property of others.

Source: SL 1957, ch 492, § 1; SDC Supp 1960, § 61.1501; SDCL, § 46-24-1.