The county court must appoint a qualified, impartial engineer after the petition and bond are approved, and the engineer must inspect the land, prepare and file a detailed report, and can be replaced by the court.
After such petition has been so filed and bond taken and approved, the county court shall, at the first session thereafter, regular, special, or adjourned, and may at a later session, appoint a disinterested and competent engineer and have placed in the engineer's hands a copy of the petition. The engineer shall proceed to examine the lands described in the petition, and any other lands that would be benefited by the improvement, or necessary in carrying out such improvement, and survey and locate such drain or drains, ditch or ditches, levee or levees, improvement or improvements, as may be practicable to carry out the purposes of the petition and that will be of public benefit or utility or conducive to the public health or welfare. Engineers appointed by the county courts shall be paid for their services at such rates as the courts appointing them may fix, and, if not so fixed, at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) per day while engaged in the work, and, in addition, all actual traveling expenses, an itemized account of such expenses to be kept by them and reported and sworn to. The engineer shall return and file the proceedings with the county clerk, which return shall set forth the starting point, the route, the terminus, or termini of the ditch or ditches, drain or drains, levee or levees, or other improvements, such as the straightening or shortening of watercourses, cleaning out the beds thereof, together with a plat and profile showing the ditches, drains, or other improvements, and the course and length of the same, approximately, through each tract of land as far as may be practicable, and the total length and the course and the elevation, as near as may be, of all lakes, ponds, and deep depressions in the district, and the fall obtainable across the district, and the boundary of the proposed district, and the description of each tract of land in the district, as shown by the tax books, and the names of the owners of the tract, as shown by the tax books, together with the probable cost of the improvement, and such other facts and recommendations as the engineer may deem material. The court may at any time recall the appointment of any engineer, if deemed advisable to do so, and appoint another to act in the engineer's place.