July 2, 2020 at 7:30 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  No unfinished business to address. 

Rationale:  Elliott reviewed the attached FY21 SWCP spreadsheet.  We have not been OFFICIALLY allocated SWCP dollars from DNR as of July 1.  Elliott has been in contact with Jill Richters (who oversees SWCP at DNR) and she has said that it " should be fairly close to last year".

Rationale:  20-D-1 - Diers Family Farm - Dodge County, Section 32-18N-9E - Livestock well, pumping plant, and stock tank: $18,964.65

The location of this application borders our Rawhide Ditch.  In the easement that the NRD and adjoining landowners entered into there is a clause that requires the NRD to supply livestock water is we disallow livestock entering the ditch.  Due to the maintenance issues on the banks over the years caused by cattle entering/leaving the ditch our Operations Department decided to fence off the ditch and would like to provide a well for Diers.  Through the DNR SWCP program we can submit up to 75% cost-share with the remaining 25% covered by NRD local funds.

Rationale:  20-C-2 - Terry & Spring Wendt - Planned Grazing System - $7,464.60

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  Bill Bos has lined up several landowner conservation and septic system upgrade projects in the Shell Creek Watershed and now that we have all grant funding approved, we will now able to begin approving those projects.

At the May 11th LPNNRD Board Meeting, we approved the low bid from Pruss Excavating totaling $167,962.32 for completing the Shell Creek North Channel Improvement/Benching Project and work has started. Colfax County is providing the needed landowner easements, project engineering and construction oversight. This project is located just north of the U.P. Railroad Bridge near County Road 15, east of Schuyler.  The County has also started to work on lining things up for moving forward on the Shell Creek South Channel Improvement Project, just south of the U.P. Railroad Bridge.  Pruss has agreed to do this south channel work as a contract addendum at the same unit prices for the Shell Creek North Channel Project. Director Bailey reported that the U.P. Railroad is moving forward with replacing their bridge at Colfax County road 14  and the County Road bridge replacement project is also scheduled to be replaced this summer. 
 

Rationale:  Tom Sprunk has been working with Bill Bos and Jim Reedy, NRCS, on finalizing plans for completing his wetlands enhancement and bank stabilization project. LPNNRD will assist with the bidding process as the project is scheduled to be completed this summer. We have previously approved 75% cost share on this project that has a rough estimate of $25,000 at this time.  Our plan is to use approved grant funding from NDEE and NET to reimburse LPNNRD for our contribution.

Rationale:  We have received the Inter-Governmental Grant Agreement (attached) from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) for the Shell Creek Watershed. Jovan has reviewed the agreement and his comments are attached.  This EPA 319 grant will provide $365,000 to combine with our approved $104,688 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) for helping complete Shell Creek projects.  These projects include the Shell Creek Channel Improvement Project, Tom Sprunk Wetland Project and numerous landowner conservation and septic system upgrade projects in the watershed.  Manager Gottschalk electronically signed the attached NDEE agreement on June 22nd so that projects could immediately begin.  

Rationale:  NRCS and FYRA continue to work with NRCS in Little Rock NRCS on what additional work and expense will be needed for moving forward with completing the economic analysis for the Wahoo Creek Watershed Plan. We anticipate that a contact addendum with FYRA and agreement with NRCS to cover the additional scope of work and expense will be coming soon. 

We may have another invoice from FYRA by the July 13th Board meeting for work completed under our present contract. 

 

Rationale:  Attached is a $12,706.55 Olsson invoice for Geo-tech (soil analysis) on Wahoo Creek Sites 26a, 26b and 27 from.  Mountford asked about the monthly invoices when the field work for soil sampling actually occurred last fall.  Olsson explained that the required work has been done in segments instead of all at once, since the project has not been on a fast track due to the watershed plan completion delays.  To date, 79.2% of the Geo-tech budget has been expended for the three dam sites mentioned (see attachment).  After this payment, $245,281.11 (42%) will have been expended from this project phase that totals $583,825. As has been mentioned in the past, the majority of the contract phase involving the design of the eight dams has been unspent and will remain so until the Wahoo Creek Watershed Plan is approved.  The contract phase for designing the eight remaining dams totals $1,416,153. 

Andrew Philips, Olsson, joined the Projects Committee meeting by Zoom and gave a presentation of what has been accomplished thus far at Dam Sites 26a, 26b and 27.  

Rationale:  We continue to prepare for upcoming Wahoo Creek Watershed Projects with landowners.  

Rationale:  Mike Chvatal received another bid for his approved dam project per our suggestion (both bids attached).  His current approved cost-share amount is $32,297.00.  The dam's location is above one of the high hazard structures (21-A) within the Cottonwood Creek watershed which qualifies it as a "high priority" within our local SWCP Policy.  This project also qualifies for grant reimbursement through our NDEE and NET Water Quality grant partnership. Mr. Chvatal is requesting consideration for obtaining up to 75% cost share based on the lower bid of $61,808 as attached.  This would raise our maximun cost from $32,297 up to $46,356 ($14,059 increase).
For review: the dam was approved in 2015 and due to a combination of weather, contractor availability, and crop loss worries the project has not been completed and was given a Board mandated completion for 2020.  During a pre-stake out design review it was noted that the planned dam outlet elevation was located too high and the potential for erosion to occur from the outlet to the dam embankment was realized.  A redesign was completed adding:
1200 cubic yards of additional excavation for an outlet channel
33 extra feet of 12" corrugated metal pipe to reach new, stable outlet location

 

Rationale:  We have been working with Dodge County and the City of Fremont on several joint projects. Tom Smith &  Bob Missel (Dodge County) and Brian Newton and Lottie Mitchell (Fremont),  joined the meeting (by Zoom) to discuss joint project efforts to include those listed below. 

Rationale:  We have been working with Dodge County, City of Fremont and the Papio-Missouri River NRD to place cameras and additional water level sensors at five locations along the Platte River (HW 15, 64, 77, 79 and near the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge west of Schuyler) to assist with observing flooding issues developing from seasonal rainstorm and ice jams.  Attached is an Interlocal Agreement between LPNNRD, PMRNRD, Dodge County and City of Fremont to share the project costs.  Dodge County will also submit a FEMA grant application for up to 75% of the maximum project costs as attached.  The maximum equipment purchases and related expenses over a two year is estimated at $27,000.  While the project includes up to ten cameras, three water sensors and other equipment, only five cameras and two sensors are planned to be placed in 2020.  If it is determined that there will be value to place additional cameras and sensors, that would occur in 2021. The Partners are proposing to share the costs ($6,750 each), however there is an excellent chance will will receive up to $20,250 (75%) from the FEMA grant which would cover the cameras, sensors and other equipment costs.  If the grant is approved, a good portion of the local expense will be in the form of in-kind staff time provided toward the project. 

Rationale:  Dodge County, LPNNRD and Fremont have been assisting the North Bend Drainage District (NBDD), with submitting a Hazard Mitigation grant application for 75% assistance on what is estimated at $1.7 million project, to repair and improve four miles of the drainage system. Dodge County Emergency Manager Tom Smith has been working on the cost benefits for the project application. Attached is a project map and project description from Larry Ruzicka, NBDD.  Discussion at the Projects committee centered on who should be the fiscal agent for the project as NBDD would not be able to handle it. The committee felt that LPNNRD should be consistent with our past precedence to have the county or city be the fiscal agent for large projects. One major reason LPNNRD has followed this precedence is being the fiscal agent on large projects could cause budget challenges while awaiting project reimbursements from grant and local partners.  The committee offered to assist Dodge County with project management if they are the fiscal agent.
 

Rationale:  The Nebraska Department of Economic Development has awarded the Dodge County Platte River Breach Repair (Fremont Rod & Gun Club) Project up to a $485,000 CDBG grant (letter attached). LPNNRD has approved up to $50,000 toward the Repari Project, located on Fremont Rod and Gun Club property.  Mountford has drafted an interlocal agreement (attached) between Fremont, Dodge County and LPNNRD, outlining our financial contributions and future operation and maintenance of the completed project.  A very important issue was who will secure and hold public easements for the project area and Fremont has recently agreed to be that party.  Jovan has reviewed and commented on the Interlocal Agreement. 

Rationale:  Tom Smith, Dodge County Emergency Manager will comment on a Hazard Mitigation Grant application he submitted to study potential improvement on the ditch system east of Fremont.  Besides Dodge county and Fremont, LPNNRD is a logical partner to assist financially on a potential project. 

Rationale:  As previously reported, JEO has submitted our final Hazard Mitigation Plan to EPA for review and comments. Our Board approved the plan as written on May 11, 2020, which was submitted to FEMA for review.

As discussed at previous committee meetings, there remains $22,000 that is unapproved in the contract that could be used for other project work if we desire. Of the $22,0000, up to $16,500 (75%) would be reimbursed from FEMA.  Lalit Jha and Becky Appleford, JEO, joined the meeting (by Zoom) to discuss possibilities (presentation attached).  One previous thought was completing some additional breach inundation maps on a few more of our low hazard dams, but after closer review, staff feels that we already have mapped the priority structures and do not feel the need to do more at this time.  However, there has been discussion on working with Saunders County on possibly establishing a Dam Breach Overlay District on our already mapped dams, to provide structured zoning requirements for inhabitable dwellings proposed in downstream breach areas.  Another item discussed was sponsoring Levee Failure Tabletop Workshop to prepare us and our partners for future levee disasters.  The committee was interested in having JEO present a scope of work on expanding our Dam Breach Overlay District (for 15 existing dams) in Saunders County and holding a future Levee Failure Tabletop Workshop. JEO will have a contract outlining a scope of work for Board approval consideration at the July 13th Board meeting. JEO representatives will be also be available at the Board Meeting to answer questions. 

Attached is JEO's May 29th invoice totaling $1,386.48 for work completed under our HMP contract (progress report also attached). After this payment, $5,313.88  will remain under the $228,000 portion of the contact that LPNNRD has authorized thus far.
 

Rationale:  We received four applications for the Nebraska Buffer Strip Program:

Mary Theresa Norton (3 applications): Sections 19 & 20-18N-2E Colfax Co
             8 acres - $219.68/acre = $1,757.44 annual payment
             13.7 acres - $219.68/acre = $3,009.62 annual payment
              11.2 acres - $214.20/acre = $2,399.04 annual payment

Sheryl Hansen: Section 32-15N-2E Butler County
             9.1 acres - $237.80/acre = $2,163.98 annual payment
                                      
 

Rationale:  No new updates.

Rationale:  Fremont representative Don Cunningham joined the Projects Committee to bring more details regarding the proposed aeration system for the City's Johnson Lake.  The systems primary purpose is to improve the lakes water quality. The total project including electrical hookup costs is estimated at around $10,000.  Mr. Cunningham has been working with the community for donations toward the project as well.

Rationale:  The Projects Committee adjourned at 10:15 a.m.