Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 48, § 582. Powers

Districts constitute public corporations, and as such have all the powers of public corporations. They have perpetual existence. They may incur debt and contract obligations; sue and be sued; have a corporate seal; do and perform all acts in their corporate capacity and in their corporate names necessary and proper for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and improving public roads, highways, and bridges within their territorial limits, and for the ditching and drainage thereof; and generally may perform all acts necessary to carry out the object and purposes of their creation. They have the power of expropriating property for the purpose of acquiring rights of way for the building and constructing of public roads and highways and the cutting of necessary ditches and canals for the drainage thereof. They may acquire any machinery and equipment which is essential to the proper accomplishment of the purposes of their creation.