Landowners in the Sand Hill Watershed District petitioned the Board of Managers of the District for the Improvement and Consolidation of Polk County Ditches Nos. 98 and 148.  County Ditch No. 98 lies entirely within Vineland Township.  The ditch originates in the NW corner of Section 3, and is graded in a southerly direction along the west line of Sections 3 and 10 to a point in the northwest corner of Section 15.  The ditch then follows a westerly course along the north line of Section 16 to a point at the northwest corner of said Section 16.  The course of County Ditch No. 98 then reverts to a southerly direction along the west line of Sections 16 and 21 to a point approximately 850 feet north of the southwest corner of said Section 21.  The ditch then changes to a southwesterly direction and is graded into the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 20, Township 148 North, Range 48 West, and terminates at a point about 500 feet west of the east section line of said Section 20.  The total length of County Ditch No. 98 is approximately 5 miles.
Polk County Ditch No. 148 lies in portions of Vineland and Hammond Townships of Polk County.  The ditch originates about 70' west of the northeast corner of Section 16, Hammond Township (T148N, R47W).  The ditch is then graded in a westerly direction along the north line of Sections 16, 17, and 18 of Hammond Township; and then continuing westerly along the north line of Sections 13, 14, and 15 of Vineland Township (T148N, R48W); and there terminating in the northwest corner of said Section 15, outletting into County Ditch No. 98.  The total length of County Ditch No. 148 is 6 miles.

The drainage area of County Ditches Nos. 98 and 148 is approximately 11 square miles.  The outlet for the ditch system is located approximately 500 feet west of the east section line of Section 20, of Vineland Township.  The outlet consists of a natural channel tributary to the Sand Hill River, outletting into the river near the southeast corner of the southwest one quarter of said Section 20.  The natural channel outlet for County Ditches Nos. 98 and 148 has a relatively steep gradient.  As a result, two concrete erosion control drop structures were placed in the natural channel system to stabilize the grade and prevent erosion.  These erosion control drop structures are downstream of the legal terminus of County Ditch No. 98.

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