I would say that much less than 30% of the ditches we have through our farms or that get drained into by us are operated by drainage district. We mostly pay the bill 100% for any ditch work needed. I will say there are some adjacent landowners that will chip in & help pay to have a ditch cleaned. I would also say the drainage districts we are involved with have only enough money to pay for meetings, that's it. 

I know the ditch going thru our home farm was dug by our grandfather, Dad, & Uncle with a horse-drawn slip scraper in the late '30s/early '40s. No district. We maintain it and many more miles these days. Takes a lot of tree management (feel-good description) and bottom dipping to keep them clean.