March 1, 2017 at 8:30 AM - Operations & Education Committee Meeting

Rationale:  The tree removal contractor, Standing C Excavating, finished cutting, treating and piling trees at Czechland Lake. The contract cost was $3,750.

Rationale:  The crew burned tree piles at Homestead and Wanahoo.  Cut volunteer trees in different locations on the Wanahoo property. Put the docks in at Wanahoo.

Rationale:  Olsson Associates has presented a Lake Wanahoo Dam Instrumentation Monitoring/Data Evaluation contract for one year at a cost of $14,212.50. They monitor the dam twice a year (spring & fall).

Rationale: 

The Lake Wanahoo Lake Level Panel met on February 28, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. at the LPNNRD Office in Wahoo. Minutes of that meeting are attached.

A primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss the unopened Requests for Qualifications/Proposals from engineering firms JEO and Olsson Associates, to submit a Section 408 request to the U.S. Army Corp’s of Engineers for lowering Lake Wanahoo’s permanent water level.  Alternate proposals from FYRA, JEO and Olsson opposed to pursuing the 408 process were also presented. An update on Wahoo Creek Flood reduction and water quality efforts was also given.  

After much discussion on the engineering firm proposals, the following recommendations were passed by the Lake Wanahoo Lake Level Panel:

It was recommended by Jim Gibney, seconded by Mike Lawver, to not pursue the 408 request with the Army Corp's of Engineers for lowering Lake Wanahoo at this time and to return the unopened 408 proposals to JEO Consulting Group and Olsson Associates.  Recommendation carried unanimously by voice vote.

It was recommended by Mike Lawver, seconded by Jim Gibney, to hire FYRA Engineering for completing the Lake Wanahoo Reservoir/Gate Operation Policy/Study Proposal. Recommendation carried unanimously by voice

The O, E & RW Committee supports the first recommendation from the Lake Level Panel and the second motion if the FYRA Proposal will coincide with the final Operations & Maintenance Manual for the Sand Creek Environmental Restoration Project. Therefore, the District may want to wait to see how FYRA's proposed project timeline will work within the O & M Manual.

Folsom also recommends that a fisheries biologist be present some time in the future to explain the entire spawning season for all fish species that inhabit Lake Wanahoo.

Rationale: 

Staff met with Game & Parks on February 9th to review the 2016 SRA revenue and expense reports. The District had $61,080.91 in expenses and Game & Parks $98,707.41.  Income revenue (park permits, camping fees & shower fees) is $120,408.91. The net profit is $21,701.50 which will be placed in an account and used for future needs on the SRA as jointly agreed by G&P and LPNNRD.

There was discussion at our Directors Retreat on amending items in our current Interlocal Agreement with Game & Parks, such as a) how the net profit should be used, b) G & P provide an itemized list of expenditures as the District does at our annual meeting, c) Staff hiring issues and timeliness, d) expenses by the District on the breakwater structures and jetties do not count toward expenses in this agreement, e) items listed under O & M obligations.

Agreement Attached

Rationale: 

Narrative from Mike Sotak (first two paragraphs).

The majority of the look at the hydrologic records is near completion. The gage and subsequent skew analysis indicates that the design discharge could potentially be modified from 132k to somewhere between 104k and 114k cfs.  The skew analysis would support a design discharge as low as 104k cfs (a 21.2% reduction), but some more aggressive arguments need to be made regarding skew. We are doing a preliminary analysis of the ice jam magnitude to ensure this will not dramatically change the numbers above. This will not provide the entire ice jam analysis required, but will give us confidence in these assessments.

The bottom line is that the news is good…we feel that this is close to the right answer. As the COE mentioned during the discussion in Fremont, the flood stage due to ice jams causes a significant amount of the flooding potential that the levees are designed to protect against.  If after this work, you are comfortable with our analysis, we can discuss next steps which would include the ice jam assessment.  We do feel that there are several differences in approach that we would take as compared with what the COE has done.

We will also have to look at the big picture and include Schuyler and North Bend some time, there is some question as to how to go about this politically.

Rationale:  To date it looks like 2 of 3 landowners have agreed to do conservation work on adjacent property to Sand/Duck Creek Dams 6 and 24. They will sign up for SWCP cost-share and plan to do fall construction.

Rationale: 

Jovan Lausterer prepared an agreement that the District provide $55,000 to the City of Fremont for the construction of a box culvert for Paul Gifford in his housing area.  Paul Gifford has declined the offer and we will now put it in his court to make a decision on what and how he wants to accomplish this project.  Gifford has stated he wants the drive (culvert) further north on our wider, deeper ditch.  The District does not agree.

The Committee would like to hear from Lausterer regarding the original agreement and how specific it may be regarding the location of this box culvert.

Rationale: 

The KTIC radio ad and the Wahoo Newspaper eAd will focus on tree orders.  Both ads will run through March.

Rationale: 

We have received the exhibitor application/contract for the 2017 Platte County Fair (July 5th-9th).  The booth cost is $220.

In 2016, we had booths at Platte, Butler, Colfax, and Saunders County fairs.  The interns with NRCS attended and passed out NRD/NRCS materials. 

2017 county fair dates:

• Platte County: July 5^th-9^th
• Boone County: July 8^th-12^th
• Madison County: July 11^th-16^th
• Butler County: July 18^th-23^rd
• Colfax County: July 19^th-23^rd
• Saunders County: July 23^rd-July 30^th
• Dodge County: August 16^th-20^th

Rationale: 

The Long Range Plan has been completed for fiscal year 2017.  A copy of the document has been distributed to all directors.

Rationale: 

Destiny Johnson and Joseph O’Brien received the 2016 Shell Creek Watershed Monitoring Program Scholarship.  Both students submitted their first semester transcripts and have met the requirements for receiving the $1,000 scholarship.  The awards have been mailed to each student.

Rationale: 

Soil & Water Stewardship Week is April 30^th-May 7^th.  The 2017 theme is “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life”.  Order forms have been sent via email to elementary schools in the district.

Rationale: 

East Butler

Test Your Well Night at East Butler High School was on February 8^th in partnership with the East Butler FFA Chapter and the Lower Platte South NRD.  TePoel and Schomer attended with Lower Platte South NRD staff, Adam Sutton, Environmental Education Assistant, and Ryan Rezac, Water Resources Compliance Specialist.  There were around 30 attendees and the students tested 46 water samples.

 

Bishop Neumann

Test Your Well Night at Bishop Neumann High School was on February 22^nd in partnership with the FFA Chapter.  TePoel, Schomer, and Benal attended.  There were around 38 participants and the students tested 62 water samples.

Rationale: 

Water samples were taken, delivered to State and returned clean.  Quarterly sewer billing charges will be developed this month for Colon and deducted from our payment to the village after the end of March.

Monthly billings have been totaled and sent out to customers.

Our department has been contacted by two potential new customers along the line. 

Work should be completed later this month to repair dead-end service line on Oak street.

 

Rationale: 

Water samples were taken, delivered to State and returned clean.

Bills  have been totaled and sent out.