N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 15-1947

§ 15-1947. Unlawful interference with drainage works.\n 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to divert water from its\nnatural watershed in such manner that it flows into a drainage district,\nor so to divert water in a drainage district as to prevent it from\nfollowing the course laid out for such water by the department and cause\nit to flow into any stream, ditch or ditches into which it does not\nnaturally or was not designed to flow.\n 2. It shall be unlawful for any person without authorization to\ninterfere with, fill up, alter or change any drainage ditch or other\nstructure constructed under the provisions of title 19 of this article\nor lawfully constructed under the provisions of the conservation or the\ndrainage laws or any other general or special statutes, or without\nauthorization to open or close gates or other regulating works in\nconnection therewith or to construct unauthorized ditches or drains or\nother interference. This shall not be held to prevent the private\nconstruction of drainage works within a district, provided that such\nconstruction is done in accordance with plans approved by the department\nand with its written consent.\n 3. It shall be unlawful to build or maintain across or in such\ndrainage ditch any bridge or culvert which unduly impedes the flow of\nwater in such ditch. No bridge or culvert across or in any drainage\nchannel or ditch within or without a drainage district and necessary to\nthe proper drainage thereof, shall hereafter be built, rebuilt or\naltered by any person or authority except with the written consent and\napproval of the department.\n