November 1, 2018 at 8:00 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  No unfinished business to address.

Rationale:  Work continues to line up new water quality projects in the Shell Creek Watershed.

Rationale:  Attached is a $1,484.50  invoice from Mainell Wagner for construction engineering services provided for this project.  Colfax County provided the first $10,000 for engineering services and LPNNRD is responsible for the remainder. Committee recommendation is requested.  This expense will be deducted from banked NET grant funds. 

Mainelli Wagner reported that the Kramer Stabilization Project extension (Vavircek - approved change order No. 2 - attached) officially begin on October 22nd and is now mostly complete. Only seeding remains which will be completed within the next two weeks. Attached is an Application and Certification for Payment No. 5 totaling $53,241.08 as attached. This project work will be 100% reimbursed through our EPA/NDEQ 319 grant.  



 

Rationale:  We are anticipating some project applications for conservation practices that could fall under eligible practices in our approved 319 grant funding.  We plan to bring present a detailed list for approval by at the November 12  Board meeting subject to concordance from the Shell Creek Improvement Group.

Also attached is an invoice from Penne Screenprinting for a Polo that Newman Grove needed for one of their WQ students. Committee recommendation for payment is requested
 

Rationale:  The selection committee chose Olsson as the engineering firm to negotiate a contract with to provide engineering services for the Wahoo Creek dams.  Gottschalk and Mountford met with Olsson representatives on October 18 to discuss needed changes as suggested by the selection committee, management and legal counsel.  We continued negotiations at this meeting with the Projects and Executive Committee members present where several additional changes and clarifications were agreed upon.   After favorable review of the final version, Chair Birkel has been given the authority to sign the contract which is anticipated to be at the November 12 Board Meeting.  Attached is the latest version of the proposed contract with Olsson's. 

Rationale:  Attached is FYRA's $29,943.33 invoice for services on the Wahoo Creek Watershed plan. Since this work fall under an approved contract, no Board motion is required for payment.  After this payment, $309,222.56 will remain on our $574,990 contract with FYRA. A project report is also attached.

Rationale:  Several Lands for Conservation payments have and will be paid for this past summer conservation projects completed in the Wahoo Creek Watershed.  We presently have about $450,000 of available  grant funding from NDEQ and NET for water quality projects in this watershed. 

Rationale:  We have executed a contract with Buried Past LLC to complete a cultural resources survey for the eight of the 11 proposed Wahoo Creek dams. as attached.  We will be working with them to complete these surveys this fall. NRCS has already conducted investigates for Sites 26a., 26b. and 27 last Spring.  

Rationale:  Mountford attended the LPRCA biannual meeting on October 24 at the LPSNRD. While LPNNRD is no longer a LPRCA member, we are still involved with joint projects with LPSNRD & PMRNRD that are being handled under the Alliance. A few updates on things we are involved with:

1. Water Quality Management Plan
HDR is working of the final plan revision which should be completed within the next 30 days.  The extra $14,643 expense needed for this revision will be taken from LPRCA reserve funds. Completion of this plan will mean that most of LPNNRD will be covered by an EPA/NDEQ Water Quality Management Plan that will hopefully give additional grant opportunities in those new priority areas. 
2. Leshara USGS Water Quality Gauges 
In partnership with USGS, LPNNRD, LPSNRD, PMRNRD, Lincoln Well Fields, and MUD have been jointly funding a three year water quality sampling effort on the Platte River near Leshara.  Our current agreement will expire in April 2019.  USGS and other partners are being asked if we wish to continue on with a new sampling agreement.  USGS will present a proposal at our November 28th Water Committee Meeting. 
3. Lower Platte River Watershed Restoration Study Update (attachments)
As has been discussed in the past, LPNNRD has supported asking the USACE to pursue federal assistance for a three year study of the Lower Platte River. The reason LPNNRD has been in support  is of the potential opportunity to receive federal funding for future flood reduction projects. USACE has informed us that it looks very likely that federal funding will be made available to move forward with this effort.  The latest USACE estimate of the total study cost is $1.5 milion (original estimate was $3 million)  of which 75% would be federally funded. Based on the new estimate, LPNNRD's 1/3 share of the local costs would be approximately $125,000.  While we have budgeted $83,000 in FY 2019 for this effort, Mountford informed the group that more details will be needed on how this study may lead to flood reduction projects before the Board will consider approving budgeted funding toward this effort. Attached is past information presented to the Board. We plan to have USACE representatives come to future meetings to discuss this study if federal funding becomes available.


 

Rationale:  Annual payments are due for NBSP:

Ronald Anderson: 6.9ac - $593.61
Ronald Anderson: 6ac - $166.32
Charles Barjenbruch: 9.5ac - $229.24
James Barjenbruch: 4.8ac - $126.19
James Barjenbruch: 8.2ac - $215.58
Hill Valley Farms Inc c/o William Klug: 16.5ac - $3,712.50
Rodney Julsen: 23.1ac - $5,197.50
Ed Luetkenhaus: 4ac - $900.00
Tom Sprunk: 2.1ac - $472.50
Tom Sprunk: 0.8ac - $180.00
Tom Sprunk 12.5ac - $2812.50
Francis Shanle: 9.5ac - $247.00

TOTAL: 103.9ac - $14,852.94

 

Rationale:  FEMA has approved up to a $200,038.50 grant (75%) for updating our District-Wide Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) and for working with Fremont and Schuyler for non-structural flood risk planning (letter attached).  Our HMP update was estimated at $75,000 and additional funds were requested for flood risk planning for Fremont and Schuyler. District costs for the plan update is estimated at $18,750.  Fremont and Schuyler have indicated a desire to proceed with flood risk planning and our intention would be for each community to reimburse LPNNRD for their 25% of the costs. The Board has previously authorized sending out Requests for Proposals to qualified consultants so staff has begun working on this process with the goal to hire a firm to begin work early next year. 


 

Rationale:  The Projects Committee adjourned at 10:03 a.m.