1. The care, operation and maintenance of the drainage works in a drainage improvement district shall be subject to the control and supervision of the department. It shall be the duty of the department, within the limit of the funds made available for that purpose, to maintain the drainage works in the district in serviceable condition.

2. The drainage association shall consider and make recommendations with regard to extensions and maintenance work annually and the department may make recommendations with regard thereto to be submitted to the association for discussion.

3. For such maintenance work the department is authorized to hire employees, purchase or rent land, buildings, tools, machinery or supplies, to let work by contract or to carry out projects by day labor.

4. The procedure to be followed for the authorization, financing and assessment of the cost of such work purchases shall be that specified in sections 15-1941 or 15-1943, whichever is applicable, or the proceedings may be initiated by the department of its own motion. In cases where a permanent maintenance or operating force is necessary, the department may annually prepare a maintenance budget which shall be treated as a repair project under section 15-1943.