(a) Whenever 1 or more of the owners of any lands desire their lands to be drained or protected from flooding, or the waters of their lands to be managed they may present a petition for the formation of a tax ditch to the Superior Court of the county in which all or the major portion of the area involved is located, through the board of supervisors of the soil conservation district of the county.
(b) The services of the Division of Watershed Stewardship shall be available to assist the landowners in the preparation of such petitions.