August 1, 2019 at 8:00 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  No unfinished business to address.

Rationale:  Attached is the up to date FY20 SWCP spreadsheet.  Nebraska DNR upped our FY20 SWCP allocation by $1,000 for a total of $83,599.25.  Along with our local (pending) contributions of $50,000.00, and $3,000.00 tree fund , our total FY20 SWCP allocation is $136,599.25.  Our fall 2019 SWCP applications are up for approval and with those and the summer projects, our FY20 percent allocation sits at 142%.  

Rationale:  Fall 2019 SWCP project applications up for approval all meet high priority practice standards per 2019 SWCP policy and fall within high priority watersheds.  Abreviations: TOT (Tile outleted terraces) GWW (Grassed waterway) WASCB TO (Water and sediment control basin w/ tile outlet) Recommended applications:
19-B-1: Marcella Divis - Butler Co (Skull Creek WS) - TOT - $12,500.00
19-B-2: William Kozisek - Bulter Co (Bone Creek WS) - TOT - $12,500.00
19-B-3: Richard Voboril - Butler Co (Skull Creek WS) - TOT - $12,500.00
19-B-4: Marie Roh - Butler Co (Skull Creek WS) - TOT & WASCB - $12,500.0
19-B-5: Dwayne Lanc - Butler Co (Skull Creek WS) - TOT & WASCB - $12,500.00
19-S-1: Ken & Kathryn Govaerts - Saunders Co (Wahoo Creek WS) - TOT - $12,500.00
19-S-2: Louis & Darlene Kavan - Saunders Co (Sousek Road Structure WS/Cottonwood Creek) - GWW - $12,500.00
19-S-3: James Vanek - Saunders Co (Site 26A WS) - TOT - $12,500.00
19-S-4: Ron & Marjorie Slegl - Saunders Co (Czechland Lake WS) TOT - $12,500.00
19-S-5: Hartman Family Trust - Saunders Co (Skull Creek WS) TOT - $12,500.00
19-S-6: Shanahan Family Trust - Saunders Co (Skull Creek WS) TOT - $12,102.18.
19-C-1: Carol Rosicky - Colfax Co (Shell Creek WS) WASCB - $12,500.00

As a reminder, the dollar figures associated with each application are estimates and not firm figures.  It is common for some projects to be completed for less than estimated.
 

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  None

Rationale:  Colfax County has had recent discussions with U.P. Railroad about their plans to replace their Shell Creek bridge at county road 15.  U.P. has indicated that they are ready to move forward with bridge design as their  desire is to complete the bridge replacement in 2020.  For U.P. to move forward with constructing at least a 160' bridge opposed to a 100' bridge, they are requesting local commitment that channel improvement and benching north and south of the bridge will occur in order to justify the Railroad's extra expense for the wider structure.  This will involve a future agreement between Colfax County and LPNNRD, outlining how we will contribute toward this local project expense.  Mark Mainelli, Colfax County Engineer, and Carl Grotelueschen, Colfax County Commissioner, were present at the Projects Committee meeting and provided more detailed project information and cost estimates (attached).  While discussion with Colfax County will be needed to decide how we will share channel cleaning and benching project costs . The preliminary estimate is approximately $500,000. LPNNRD has given our general support toward this effort in the past. 

Rationale:  Laura Brand  New Septic System Payment   $3,300  (Total cost = $6,821.42)

We anticipate two more Shell Creek Project Payments that will be presented at the August 12 Board meeting..
 

Rationale:  We have been working with NDEE putting together final reimbursements for our current EPA 319 grant that initially provided up to $300,000 to use mostly toward channel grade stabilization, landowner erosion control projects, septic system upgrades and outreach efforts in the Shell Creek Watershed. 

We have also been working with NDEE for putting together the next agreement for receiving  new EPA 319 grant for Shell Creek.  We anticipate receiving up to an additional $150,000 for water quality and erosion control projects for the watershed.  We have requested having the agreement ready by the August 12 Board meeting.  A Board a motion to approve the Shell Creek 319 grant agreement with NDEE and authorize the Board Chair to sign is requested.
 

Rationale:  No new information at this time.

Rationale:  We continue to work with FYRA and NRCS on completing the economics for the Wahoo Creek Watershed Plan.  Attached are e-mails and information between FYRA and NRCS, Lincoln and NRCS, Little Rock AR, and following our Meeting with NRCS in Lincoln on July 11^th.  Things seem to be going ok at this point, but work still needs to be done to get everything wrapped up. 
Attached is FYRA's $8,144 invoice for contract work completed. After this payment, $58,780.96 remains under contract.

As an essential part of completing a viable watershed plan, we are also gearing up for our  meeting with Saunders County Planning and Zoning on August 5^th. At that meeting we will be requesting the establishment of the Dam Breach Overlay District in the areas below the eleven planned dams.  The zoning application and $200 fee were submitted to Saunders County Zoning Office on July 15 (attached).
Attached is JEO's $1,350 invoice for contract work in preparation for establishing our needed Dam Breach Overlay District (draft attached). After this payment, $4,050 will remain under this contract. 
 

Rationale:  Attached is a $3,241.60 invoice from Olsson mostly for contract geo-tech work on Wahoo Creek Structure sites 26a, 26b & 27. After this payment, $1,827,750.96 will remain under contract. 

Rationale:  None.

Rationale:  Gary Prochaska has a farm (Section 9-15-5) that he planted wheat on planning with the intentions of doing summer conservation work.  There are 70 total acres, with 23 acres draining into the Wahoo Creek (North Fork WS) and the balance draining north to the Cottonwood WS.  Both sub-watersheds are priority with NDEQ so quality for Lands For Conservation (LFC).  Therefore, Mr. Prochaska would be eligible for up to $13,860.00  ($198 per acre 70 acres set aside = $13,860 of LFC payment upon NRCS certified completion of work. This eventual expense will be reimbursed to LPNNRD through our approved Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and Nebraska Environmental Trust grants. DEQ (now NDEE) and NET. 
 

Rationale:  NRCS staff has contacted the NRD and informed us that three approvals for 2019 LFC have cancelled their planned conservation work.  The applicants along with acre and dollar allocations are listed below:

Darrell Kubik - 19 acres - $3,610.00
Tyler Osmera - 32 acres - $6,080.00
Joe Peterson - 32 acres - $6,080.00

Total acres - 83
Total dollars - $15,770.00
 

Rationale:  We have been working with NDEE putting together reimbursements for grant funding agreement (Part A) that provided up to $183,000 for toward Lands for Conservation (LFC) payments for landowners who set a side land for summer conservation work.  While we pay an amount for setting land aside for summer work, NRCS pays the landowners an amount to assist with practice construction through special federal EQIP funding (Water Quality Initiative) approved for prioritized sub-watersheds in Wahoo Creek. 

We have also been working with NDEE on our next funding agreement for receiving our next allocation of  EPA 319 grant for Wahoo Creek (Part B) totaling $200,000 for erosion control projects in the watershed.  We have requested having the agreement ready by the August 12 Board meeting.  A Board motion to approve the Wahoo Creek 319 grant agreement with NDEE and authorize the Board Chair to sign when received, after legal council review, is requested.

Rationale:  Attached are copies of the three proposals (FYRA, OA, JEO) we received in response to the Request for Proposals for a Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Plan for the Joint Water Management Advisory Board consideration.  A small committee of Advisory Board partners met on July 22 to review and discuss strengths of each.  All three firms and proposals were excellent.  After consideration, the review group forwarded a recommendation to the JWMAB on July 30th, who approved a recommendation to select JEO . A financial contract commitment with JEO is contingent on them securing grant funding NEMA and WSF to fund the majority of the Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Plan. 
 

Rationale:  As part of our Hazard Mitigation Plan update, we are working with JEO gearing up for meetings with District communities and counties.   The first will be held September 19, 2019, at the Wahoo Public Library and the second will be held September 24, 2019, at the David City Public Library.  Both meeting will start at 7:00 p.m.  See attachments for details.

Also attached is JEO's $14,787.50 invoice for work completed under contract. Of this amount, 75% ($11,090.63) will be reimbursed from NEMA and 25% of $1,875 ($468.75) of the work done for Fremont and Schuyler will be reimbursed from those entiites as well.

 

Rationale:  No new updates.

Rationale:  The Projects Committee adjourned at 9:56 a.m.