Dallas County, TX Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Dallas County Code Sec. 34-93 enumerates public nuisances applicable to premises in the county's unincorporated area, and subsection (10) singles out drainage easements: filling or blocking one, failing to maintain it, letting it clog with debris, sediment, or vegetation, or violating an agreement with the county to improve or maintain it are each treated as a public nuisance. The county's Nuisance Abatement Division, under the Director of Unincorporated Area Services, enforces this through the abatement procedure in Division 3 of Chapter 34: staff inspect and photograph the alleged nuisance, and if the director confirms a violation, a written notice to abate is served under Sec.

34-142 giving the property owner 30 days to clear or restore the easement. Failure to act within that window exposes the responsible party to fines and, under Sec. 34-142(a)(5), possible county action to prohibit or control access to the premises to prevent a continued nuisance. Sec. 34-93(b) exempts agricultural land qualifying for special tax appraisal and sites already permitted or regulated by a state agency, including facilities licensed under the Solid Waste Disposal Act.