February 8, 2016 at 1:30 PM - Regular Board of Directors Meeting

Rationale: 

NOTE: The agenda is on file at the LPNNRD office and may be changed up to 24 hours prior to the meeting as scheduled.

 

Rationale:  Our March Board Meeting is scheduled for the 14th that is during the NARD Washington D.C. Conference.  Our fall back date is the second Thursday of the month that is March 10.

Rationale:  The NARD Washington D.C. Conference is March 12-16. Birkel has expressed interest in attending with Hannah saying he would attend if no other director wished to. The committee asked that Breunig send out a request to determine if any directors are interested in attending.

Rationale:  Directors are reminded that the Director Retreat is February 10 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Benedictine Center north of Schuyler. An updated copy of the agenda is attached.

Rationale:  Attached find a list for all of the UNL Water Lectures scheduled for this spring.  The lectures are from 3:30 to 4:30 on Wednesdays.

Rationale:  Attached find Director Ruzicka's absence from the January Board Meeting.

Rationale:  The Monthly Weaver Conference Call will be scheduled during the first week of February.

Rationale:  Matt Moser from USGS will give an update on the Shell Creek water quality gage.

Rationale:  Directors are reminded that those who are up for election this year must file and have the paper work to the Nebraska Secretary of State by February 16. New candidates have until March 1 to file.

Rationale:  The Lickteig property is listed on the National Land website.  It is suggested that a minimum price be agreed upon so that the committee will be able to make a decision if an offer is made. If needed this price will be set at the March Board Meeting.

Rationale:  Attached find a draft policy for operation of our Officer Nominating Committee. Directors are asked to review the policy for potential approval at the March Board Meeting.

Rationale: 

Our current copier will be eight years old in May and it is time to replace it.  Since going paperless our copy needs have been greatly reduced so smaller machines are being evaluated.  In the past we have purchased our copiers and had a companion maintenance agreement.

We can lease a new copier similar to our current machine at a lower cost than our current maintenance agreement costs per month as shown on the attachments. With a five year lease we can lock in our copy rate for the entirety of the contract which is lower than our current rate per copy.

The attachment shows the costs for a 65 copy per minute verses a 45 copy per minute machine.  Some of the desired features on the 65 cpm machine are not available on the 45 cpm machine so staff has requested a quote for a 55 cpm machine that will be received prior to board meeting. 

A motion would be needed at board meeting to approve the new lease agreement.

Rationale:  Mitch is recovering from his fall and able to get around.  205 hours were donated by employees to assist Mitch with getting through this period.  These donated hours will cover Mitch through the first week of March.  We do not know yet when he will be able to return to work. 

Rationale:  Attached find the Accounts Receivable Over 90 Days list.

Rationale: 

Game & Parks has reimbursed the District 75% of the $6,800 cost for the tree clearing at Homestead Lake. This project is ongoing with improvements through a Federal Program grant.

There are no other payments for this month.

Rationale:  Staff has been clearing volunteer brush at Czechland Lake, maintenance on equipment, snow removal and burning tree piles.

Rationale:  Staff is recommending replacing the District's Ford Fusion which has approximately 91,000 miles.  Staff recommends replacing it with a similar vehicle used by administration for meetings.  Attached is a list of vehicles from the State of Nebraska Materials Division contracts. Please review and discuss at committee time.

Rationale:  Platte Valley Equipment will rent a JD 8245 tractor to the District this coming season for $3,500.  The previous season was the same tractor at $3,300.  The State of Nebraska Contract with John Deere rents tractors for $13.25/hr with a minimum of 300 hours, that comes to $3,975.

Rationale:  The District receives calls each hunting season as to whether waterfowl hunting is allowed at Czechland and Homestead Lakes. Staff has discussed this with the area Conservation Officer as he too receives many questions on this issue. Officer Luben believes it would be OK to allow waterfowl hunting in designated areas at both locations.  Staff developed aerial photo's that designate waterfowl hunting areas that will be used by Mr. Luben and the District to guide hunters to the appropriate locations.  Signs may be posted on the areas to guide hunters to the correct areas.

Rationale:  Attached is an invoice from Clark Construction for $1,520 for mobilizing his equipment in the event the Fuse Plug at Camp Ashland needed to be removed because of flooding in early December.

Rationale:  Attached is an invoice from Olsson Associates for $4,841.74.  Olsson's is under contract to monitor instruments (piezometers) on the Wanahoo Dam.

Rationale: 

Gary Mueller of Mueller Sod Farm has been renting the NRD No-till grass drill for the past 8 years. He would like to get out of the grass drill rental agreement with the District.  Gary and John Hannah helped locate a new cooperator to rent the NRD grass drill in Platte County.  Stan Rosendahl or Rosendahl Seed & Feed has agreed to handle the NRD grass drill.  The agreement with Rosendahl Seed & Feed is attached. All three of the District's grass drill agreements are the same.

The District received a revenue check of $1,857.75 from Rezac Seed for the second half of 2015.

Rationale: 

Staff has contacted JEO for a proposal/estimate for design, specifications, and to develop a bid proposal package for a RV dump station and possible fish cleaning station on the Day Use Area side (East side) of Lake Wanahoo (Proposal Attached). It would be adjacent to Hwy 109 for access to city sewer. (See attached aerial photo.) Discussion with NE Game & Parks will occur in February as to what they may be able to provide in relationship to design and specifications. This subject will be revisited at our March meeting.

 

Staff recommends advertising for RFP's (Request for Proposal) for playground systems from Playground Dealers. The units would be placed on the West and East sides of Lake Wanahoo.  We would ask the Dealers to present their proposals at our March 2 committee meeting.  Staff would like to have the unit(s) in place before the end of the fiscal year (June 30). (See attached aerial photo.)

Rationale:  There are no payment request.  The previously approved project invoices have not been inspected because of weather.

Rationale:  The KTIC ad for January on Nitrogen & Water Management Classes will run until February 1st.  The Wahoo Newspaper eAd on tree purchasing orders will run through February.

Rationale: 

We have 2 recipients of the Shell Creek Watershed Monitoring Program Scholarship.  Each recipient will receive $1,000 upon submission of their first semester college transcript with a B average or a 3.0 or above.  The 2015 recipients are:

Parker Wallin graduated from Newman Grove High School.  Parker currently attends the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is majoring in Mechanized Systems Management.

Sandra Mariely Estrada-Gonzalez graduated from Newman Grove High School.  Sandra currently attends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a double major in Psychology and Ethnic Studies with minors in Spanish and English.

The 2016 applications will be due on April 15th.

Attached is a copy of the award letter sent to recipients.

Rationale: 

The Pheasants Forever Lower Platte Chapter has sent a donation request for their 17th Annual Banquet on April 1, 2016.  They are requesting $250 for overall banquet package merchandise.  Their request includes that the goals of the banquet is to raise funds that can be used to go back to Saunders County and the state to help with Open Fields and Waters, Wanahoo, Youth Hunts, Pollinator Programs, etc.

Attached are the 2016 Banquet Flier and  2015-2016 Underwriting Book.

Rationale:  Lower Platte South NRD is hosting "Test Your Well Night" at Ashland-Greenwood High School on February 18th. FFA Members will test nitrate levels of private well water samples for attendees.  Lower Platte North has been invited to attend to check out the event and be present for any district specific questions.  Desirae TePoel and Bret Schomer are planning to attend.

Rationale: 

-Sold the '95 CASE 860 Turbo Trencher for $ 16,250.  Placed add on Craigslist on Friday and had it sold Sunday afternoon.  Was asking $ 16,500.

-Placed order for new Bobcat Trencher attachment from Titan Ag. $ 6,287.40

- We are in process of updating our new billing software, will be transferring data and account information over the next few weeks.

- Planning to replace our handheld reader.  I will be contacting Wahoo utilities to see what they are using and how it will interface with our new software.

Rationale: 

January meters have been read and bills prepared to be mailed.

Water samples were taken and submitted to State.

Have identified 3 additional meters for radio replacement

Worked with Nelson Construction to shut down service to old sewer plant buildings prior to being demolished.

 

Rationale: 

January meters have been read and bills prepared to be mailed.

Water samples were taken and submitted to State.

Bruno was having pump issues this past month and needed access to our main meter pit to manually control water tower levels.

Rationale: 

Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

Year	Chairperson	Vice-Chairperson
2015	Frank Pollard	Bob Meduna
2014	Jim McDermott	Frank Pollard
2013	Jim McDermott	Frank Pollard
2012	Dave Saalfeld	Jim McDermott

Person may serve two consecutive terms.  Term of office is one year.

Rationale: 

Set date and time of Water Committee Meeting:

The Water Committee generally meets on the last Wednesday of the month at 5:00 pm.

The Committee members decided to leave the day and time the same, so no action was necessary.

Rationale: 

Request by Director Meduna to use the recent Olsson ground water information complied in the fall of 2015 in the ranking criteria for future variance requests.  For example, the 2008 report for saturated thickness looked at the thickness of the principal aquifer (Figure 12), while the newer report also include potential upper sand and gravel layers shown in Figure 8 (Caitlin B. Thomas of Olsson Associates).

 

Rationale: 

Attached is the Violations Policy that was reviewed by Jovan Lausterer in the fall of 2015.  Also attached is the correlation between our current Ground Water Management Rules and Regulations and this Violations Policy.

Committee members discussed that these should be incorporated into the next update of the District's Ground Water Management Rules and Regulations.

Rationale:  Larry Hynek is requesting that the District modify his variance application LPN-V-015-0421, approved October 12th 2015. The variance was approved as an expansion from a new well for 35, but Mr. Hynek believes that it would be more beneficial for him to connect the new pivot to an existing well, G-173948, in the NW 1/4 NE 1/4 Section 11-16-7E, Saunders County, Todd Valley Subarea. The well is currently registered for 143.6 acres. The final total would be 178.6 acres if the modification is approved. Attached is a map showing the fields in question, as well as the ranking sheet from the October approvals, and a blank ranking form.

Rationale: 

Wells Permits Approved: 1

Landowner	Number of Wells	Number of New Irrigated Acres	Type of Well	County	Subarea
John Sanderson	1	0	Irrigation/Supplemental	Saunders	Todd Valley

 

The total number of approved permits for 2016 is 1

Location of Approved Well Permits for 2016:  Correct as of 1/28/2016

County	Irrigation - New	Irrigation - Replacement	Stock	Commercial	Municipal	Other	Total
Butler	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Colfax	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dodge	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Boone	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Madison	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Platte	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Saunders	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Total	1	0	0	0	0	0	1

 

 

 

2015 Final Numbers:

The total number of approved permits for 2015 is 49
Location of Approved Well Permits for 2015:  Correct as of 1/28/2016

County	Irrigation - New	Irrigation - Replacement	Stock	Commercial	Municipal	Other	Total
Butler	2	2	1	0	0	0	5
Colfax	3	3	1	0	0	0	7
Dodge	3	3	0	0	0	0	6
Boone	1	2	0	0	0	0	3
Madison	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
Platte	7	2	1	0	0	0	10
Saunders	7	3	0	1	0	5	16
Total	25	15	3	1	0	5	49

 

 

Rationale: 

Kresak Transfer:

Between 2010 and 2012 a pivot appeared in NE ¼, SW ¼, 34-14-9E. A letter was sent questioning this irrigation, as it did not appear in aerial photography prior to restrictions placed by the State in 2009, and was therefore an improper expansion of irrigated acres. Mr. Kresak came to the office and informed staff that this field had been part of a towable pivot system with the field to the North (towable pivot system visible in 2006 aerial photography on the North property, since replaced with individual small pivots on the North). The South field had not been irrigated during the two in ten cycle and was therefore no longer considered irrigated. Mr. Kresak was informed his only options for using the pivot to the South were to apply, and be approved, for a variance or transfer acres from another property to this one. Mr. Kresak brought up that he has land in W ½, SW ¼, 26-14-9E that had not been irrigated recently, but would meet the two in ten definition of historically irrigated. FSA proof was provided and the field certified. It was then proposed that around 40 acres be transferred to the pivot highlighted on the map in Maroon and to the areas of grass indicated on the map in Green, the remaining acres would then be forfeit as the field was on the verge of lapsing two in ten.  Approving the transfer would result in the net loss of around 32 acres of irrigated ground; this is a positive for the district.  Mr. Kresak ideally wants all of it to be considered irrigated, but was informed at the time, that would not be a possibility, though Mr. Kresak made clear he does not agree with the two in ten policy.

Transfer Considerations:

1. This transfer crosses Subarea Boundaries. The transfer would come from the Octavia Subarea and be applied to the Todd Valley Sub Area.  The Subarea boundary basically abuts the gaining fields, the impact should be negligible.
2. This occurs in the Mead Superfund area. The field to be transferred from is in the TCE plume. The area of grass we would transfer to is within the RDX plume (though it is already irrigated, just not as crop).  Thirteen of the 31 (41%) acres the new pivot would cover are within the RDX plume, though the well that would provide the water is already within that plume and should not draw it any further South and would likely help to contain the RDX plume.

Other Considerations:

                This transfer was proposed over a year ago, Manager Angle consulted with COE, but they have yet to inform us of any concerns they may have. I would posit that means they have no actual concerns.

Mr. Kresak is eager to move ahead with this transfer request and would like to have it brought before the committee as soon as is possible. In summation, he wants all of his acres to be considered irrigated though they do not meet the two in ten rule, failing that request, he would like to request the transfer as outlined.

Report by Chris Poole

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Mid-afternoon (January 28, 2016) Mr. Kresak contacted Chris and would like to modify his request to just transfer the lower 40 acres of the original ground to this new field.  

 

Rationale: 

Three informational classes have been set, the first of which has already been held.  Each of these classes will be at Ag Park, Columbus:

1. Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.  (prior to afternoon certification class)  There were 92 landowners/producers at this first class.  Several remained after the class with additional questions.
2. Thursday, February 11, 2016, at 1:30 p.m.
3. Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at 3:00 p.m.  (prior to evening certification class)

293 letters were mailed to area producers, landowners, and tenants (mailing address information from the Acres Certification database).

 

Rationale: 

New information concerning mag-meters has been collected for Board consideration of expanding the 'LPNNRD Approved Flow Meter' list.

Specifications by manufactures indicate Mag meters need a full pipe, require certain upstream and downstream distances, and battery life is estimated at 3 to 5 years (see attached summary sheets).  In addition, mag-meters need to be placed where air entrapment or air bubbles are minimized, vibration is a concern, grounding ?, and irrigation water needs to be within the conductivity range of the meter.  For example, bedrock aquifers with brackish water and location of chemigation inject points may be a factor in the use or location of these meters.

Rationale: 

No new updates.  

The last technical committee was postponed until updates to the DNR Insight program were finalized.  These are still under review by DNR and its contractor HDR.  The website itself can be viewed at http://data.dnr.ne.gov/insight/ but again this is preliminary data. 

 

Rationale: 

The LPNNRD and DNR will resume meetings on our voluntary IMP in February.  Discussion points will be on our goals, objectives, and action plan.  Stakeholders wished to be involved in this process before the Plan is finalized by the NRD Board.

On December 21, 2015 Angle and Miyoshi met with Frank Kwapnowski of H2Options on the final product of the LPNNRD Water Balance Study as part of our contract with Olsson Associates to develop a V-IMP for our District. See attached summary.

Rationale: 

No new requests for 2016.

 

Rationale: 

Bellwood Phase 2 Area

2016 is the fourteenth year for this Phase 2 Area.  This area was reduced from 32 sections to 21 sections in 2015 - to be in compliance with Section G Ground Water Quality Management Area - Phase Two Rule 1 Phase Two Criteria.

=================================

Fertilizer Reports

130 reports for the 2015 crop year have been received.  For the 2014 crop year 211 reports were received, but remember that this Phase 2 area was reduced in size.

 

Rationale: 

Richland - Schuyler Phase 3 Area

2016 is the first year of this Phase 3 Area (to be in compliance with Section H Ground Water Quality Management Area - Phase Three Rule 1 Phase Three Criteria).  This Phase 3 area went into effect September 1, 2015.  The 55 sections of this area first went into a Phase 2 Area in 2004.

=============================

Fertilizer Reports

A total of 385 reports for the 2015 crop year have been received.  For the 2014 crop year 406 reports were received.

 

Rationale: 

Richland - Schuyler Phase 2 Area North

On September 1, 2015, the ten sections immediately north of the Phase 3 area became a Phase 2 Area.  These sections are:  Township 18 North, Range 2 East, sections 31 to 36; Township 18 North, Range 3 East, sections 31 to 34.  Soil samples and water samples are required for 2016.

Rationale: 

Two on-line test requests have been received in January (from the same person).  On his first test his score was less than the 70% required for passing the test.  He scored greater than 70% on his second attempt. 

Cert #	Cert date	Name	Re-cert	Comments
6532	1/4/2016	Brad Ferguson	Yes

 

Two of the twelve schedules classes have been completed. 

30 producers (including three LPNNRD Directors) attended the class in Fremont following the Corn Expo.  There were three first-time certifiers at this class. 

32 producers attended the class at Ag Park, Columbus.  (Some of these attendees had attended the first SQS #2 informational class earlier that day.)  There were four first-time certifiers at the second class.  The next class is tomorrow afternoon at ARDC.

Rationale: 

Janette Schure Modification of Acre Certification

Janette Schure Etal, formerly farmed by Eisenmenger Farms, has sent FSA paperwork showing the SW ¼, 7-19-1W (SQS) as 159.01 acres irrigated.  There are a few issues regarding this request.

1.  The total of 159.01 is not possible as there are 3 acres out of every 160 lost to the County Road Right of Way. Meaning at most, there would be 156.01 irrigable acres.

2.  There is a building site that takes out another 0.93 acres making the maximum amount of acres 155.08.

3. Looking at the aerial photography, it is highly doubtful that three of these corners meet the criteria as irrigated based on the 2 in 10 rule established by the board. The NW, NE, and SE, corners do not appear to be irrigated at any point between 2004 and 2014. The SW corner is assuredly gravity irrigated based on the aerial photography.

4. When initially certified, we were informed the SW corner was irrigated; no mention was made of the other three corners. If they were irrigated, I would think we’d have been informed at that point, not two years later.

Aerial Photos by year:

2004 – inconclusive, but if you look very close, you can see the pivot outline, which is not  visible in fields with irrigated corners

2005 – difficult to see with the boundary, very clear without the boundary. Doubtful corners are irrigated.

2006 – Stands out plainly as the 3 corners not irrigated. If they were, the coloration should match the SW corner and the pivot.

2009 – Inconclusive, but the coloration in the three corners should match closer to the SW corner that is irrigated. There are areas in each of the three corners that look dry

2010 – Completely inconclusive

2012 – Obviously not irrigated, and that’s the year you would expect to see it as irrigated definitively.

2014 – difficult to see with the boundary, clear without the boundary. Doubtful 3 corners are irrigated.

Summary: While we do accept FSA records as proof of irrigation, we also require 2 in 10 and that the ground meets our definition of irrigated (water actually applied to crops). Based on the aerial photography, while it passes the FSA portion of proof, it is my opinion it fails the 2 in 10 burden and therefore does not meet our definition of irrigated. I do not think our rules bind us to the FSA records, just that they can be submitted as proof, barring other factors. If anything, the pivot is drawn too large, and there are actually fewer acres irrigated than what is certified.

Report by Chris Poole

--------------------------------------------------------

John, Cyndi, and Jess Schure attended the Water Committee meeting.  The field in question was farmed by Eisenmenger Farms from 2001 to ~2015 and was irrigated with a center pivot with the SW corner also irrigated by gated pipe.  Previous to 2001 all four corners were irrigated by gated pipe but this has not been done since that year.  Therefore, irrigation of the NW, NE, and SE corners for this field do not met our 2 in 10 years requirement.

They wish to purchase a corner unit to irrigate all four corners of the field.  They informed the committee that the buildings on the field have been removed so now the pivot can make a full circle.  This field is also within the Platte-Colfax SQS area.

It was suggested that a transfer of acres from the SW corner, and equally applied to all four corners through a more powerful end gun would allow them to at least partially irrigate these corners while the total number of field acres remains the same.

Rationale: 

Cech Irrigation in NW¼ of Section 34-T18N-R3E

On January 15, 2016, the acres owned by Delores Cech in the NW¼ of Section 34, Township 18 North, Range 3 East, Lower Shell Creek subarea (south west of Shell Creek) were sold to three of her children who now each have interest in the land.  The new owners are John Cech (son), Ron Cech (son), and Nancy Martensen (daughter, whose husband is Dan Martensen).  In the week prior to the purchase of this land Dan Martensen contacted Russell Oaklund regarding the certified acres for this land and the surface water right from Shell Creek for this ground.  The records of LPNNRD show that there are 67 acres certified as irrigated from irrigation well G-001817 with some additional certified irrigation acres from the surface water permit.  The records of the Department of Natural Resources show that surface Water Appropriation A-6523 is a permit with a priority date of July 30, 1954, to divert water from Shell Creek for irrigation of 70 acres in the NW¼ of Section 34. 

Following their purchase of the land Dan Martensen made an appointment to meet with Oaklund at the LPNNRD office in Wahoo.  On Wednesday, January 20^th, Martensen met with Oaklund in LPNNRD office.  Martensen related that the Delores Cech ground has been with gated pipe from irrigation well G-001817 and with a pump from Shell Creek.  Martensen related that for more efficient use of irrigation water they would like to install a pivot and use the irrigation well as the source of water for irrigation.  By removing some trees they could position the pivot to make a full circle covering 120 acres and irrigate only 17 acres outside the pivot with gated pipe.  Martensen related that the additional time and expense needed to maintain the pumpsite and pump on Shell Creek are probably not worth it and they would be willing to relinquish their surface water right from Shell Creek if they could receive approval from LPNNRD to irrigate the land from irrigation well G-001817 (as indicated above).  During this meeting Oaklund called the Department of Natural Resources in Lincoln and discussed surface Water Appropriation A-6523 with Susan France.  The seventy acres approved for irrigation from Shell Creek under A-6523 remain “in full force and effect.”

On Thursday, January 21^st, as per the appointment made with the DNR, Dan Martensen met with John Miller in Lincoln.  During this meeting Miller called Oaklund regarding surface Water Appropriation A-6523.  After this meeting Martensen stopped at LPNNRD.  He again related that it would be more practical, economical, and a more efficient use of water to irrigate with a center pivot from the irrigation well.  Dan Martensen related that he will attend the Water Committee meeting on January 28, 2016.  An aerial photo showing the NW¼ of section 34 is attached.  [Note:  Section 34-T18N-R3E is the eastern most section in the new Richland-Schuyler North Phase 2 Area.]

Report by Russ Oaklund

-----------------------------------------------

Ron Cech and Dan Martensen attended the Water Committee meeting in regard to this request.  They are willing to retire the surface water right in exchange to irrigate the entire field. 

 

Rationale: 

No new updates

 

Rationale: 

No new updates

 

Rationale: 

No new updates

 

Rationale: 

The latest technical meeting was held on January 26, 2016 as part of the NARD conference in Lincoln.  Items discussed included the Long Range Plan, grant requests to WSF, and USGS brackish GW assessment.  Two the grant requests to the WSF are further AEM flights in eastern Nebraska, and a study looking at the ground water quality of the bedrock.  The bedrock study would also include further drilling of more test holes, some of these will be in the LPNNRD. 

 

Rationale: 

Attached is an invoice from USGS for water quality monitoring on Shell Creek north of Columbus.  The invoice is for $5,600 and is part of an existing contract with USGS.

 

Rationale: 

John Schure, Cyndi Schure, and Jess Schure attended the Water Committee meeting to discuss the Janette Schure modification of acre certification.

Ron Cech and Dan Martensen attended the Water Committee meeting to discuss the Cech modification of acre certification.

John Hannah, Chairperson of the LPNNRD Board, also attended.

 

Rationale:  Gottschalk reviewed the current status of our SWCP Program.  

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale: 

C & L Erickson Farms LLC Conservation work $ 2,375.40 25%

C & L Erickson Farms LLC Conservation work $ 4,338.02 25%

Jean M. Svoboda Living Tr. Conservation work $ 1,598.20 10%

Norm Lindgren Conservation work $ 4,296.94 25%

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  On January 22, representatives from NDEQ, SCWIG UNL and LPNNRD met to review and give input to complete the final Shell Creek Watershed Water Quality Plan.  The Plan will be forwarded to EPA for their final comments.

Rationale: 

Wahoo Creek Watershed Water Quality Plan Phase I:   We have expended our $115,000 NET grant award for landowner cost share on conservation practices and programs and watershed analysis.  We are now begining to tap into the $250,000 of federal 319 funding funding approved for Phase I.  The final contract task for JEO is to designate water quality monitoring sites in the watershed.  

Wahoo Creek Watershed Water Quality Plan Phase II: The Nebraska Environmental Trust has ranked new grant applications for 2016 and Wahoo Creek is preliminary approved for $106,000.  This funding will be combined with NDEQ's preliminary award of $168,215 for completing two large project designs and for additional landowner cost share for completing more conservation practices and programs in the watershed.

Rationale: 

Meghan's January report is attached.

The quarterly LPRCA meeting was held at our office on January 19th.   Agenda items included an update from Matt Moser, USGS, on the Water Quality Monitoring Network Agreement renewal and potential expansion. They will be approaching partners about possibly adding an additional monitoring site at Leshara.  Presently, we are only cooperating with USGS with a monitoring site on Shell Creek near Schuyler.

 Attached is a handout  describing the potential Leshara real-time water quality monitoring network and an excel spreadsheet that breaks down the 3 possible cost sharing scenarios. The proposed agreement will be executed this spring (March) but the LPRCA will budget the necessary funds in the FY17 LPRCA Budget as payment would not be needed until after that time.  MUD has indicated that they are 90% certain that they can provide $4,000 for the site operation. Matt and Megan Sittler will be attending our February 8th Board Meeting to give an update on water quality findings at this site and discuss USGS's proposal to add the water quality monitoring site at Leshara.  The committee discussed that as we are entering the last year of our three year USGS agreement on the Shell Creek monitoring site, we would be in a better position to partner with a new monitoring site.  Unlike with the Shell Creek site where we paid the entire local cost, Leshara monitoring cost will be less than one-third of that expense as the cost be shared with LPSNRD, PMRNRD and MUD (very likely).  The estimated annual cost for LPNNRD is $7,422 to $8,089 depending on if Lincoln Water System becomes a partner as well. 

 

 

 

 

Rationale: 

An informal conference call was held Tuesday, January 19th.  The City of Fremont will assist the Corps with GIS information to locate utilities. The Corps would like to make a site visit with the assistance of Fremont and Inglewood.  They discussed the lay out of the C-Levee and non-structural options also what to do in a 2 mile stretch along Military St from Ridge Road to ADM.  Options discussed were to use Military, go between Military and the UP Railroad or use sheet pile south of the railroad on Game & Parks Property.  The Corps is thinking about having a Public Meeting in March as the last public meeting was 6 years ago.

There are still issues or discrepancies in the hydraulic flows between Department of Roads and the Corps that may take some time to work out through FEMA.

Rationale:  No new information to report.

Rationale: 

JEO continues to  work on our breach inundation mapping on 20 non-high hazard dams and further analysis on the Woodcliff bank stabilization project.  Both efforts should be close to completion by the end of this month.   

We received a $17,161.80 invoice and progress report dated January 29, 2016 (as attached) from JEO for HMP work completed under contract.  After this payment, we will have $4,924.90 remaining on our $126,000 contract.  Contract work is 85% complete. 

 

Rationale:  Matt Bailey and Bob Clausen are Chair and Vice Chair.  Both were reelected for a second one year term.  

Rationale:  Levee segment 4-B is complete and segment 5 has only gate repairs that remain.

Rationale: 

To pay Sky Copters $1,799.73 for aerial spraying Cottonwood trees and other invasive plants in the wetland areas of Lake Wanahoo North of County Road O.

 

To pay Sky Copters $1,409.45 for aerial spraying cattails in the Diagonal ditch of Rawhide Ditch 10 in Dodge County.

 

Rationale: 

NE Buffer Strip Program Payment:

               Ron Anderson   $ 2,279.79           (2013 – 2015 contract years)

Rationale: 

Well Abandonment Program payment:

               Karl Grotelueschen         $ 951.68              16” irrigation well

Rationale:  Attached find specifications on the Seametrics AG2000 Flow Meter.

Rationale: 

NOTE: The agenda is on file at the LPNNRD office and may be changed up to 24 hours prior to the meeting as scheduled.