June 1, 2023 at 7:30 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Representatives from the County, City, and JEO are in attendance to discuss NRD contributions to the project.

Rationale: 

Not much new except a few notes from John Peterson, JEO, on May 12th:
- I might have tracked down somebody to talk to about the KWEA property (where the detention cells are proposed).  They’re supposed to get back to me soon.
- Field work will be starting shortly.  I’ll keep you posted on status in case you get any calls from landowners.
- We’re wrapping up comments on another plan that recently received comments from National.  Once we sort those out, we’ll get the current Chapters for Rawhide updated appropriately and sent out to you for review.

Rationale:  Five tree planting cost-shares for SWCP payment approval:

Derek Simonds - 230 trees - $432.40
Bill Zumbrennen - 232 trees - $436.16
Seth McGinn - 800 trees - $1,504.00
Angie Fuhlrodt - 258 trees - $485.04
Jordan Larsen - 200 trees - $376.00

Totals - 1720 trees - $3,233.60

Rationale:  Requested changes to the 319 Watershed Management Plan and Project Implementation Plan went to EPA the week of May 30th.  Students at Newman Grove, Lakeview, and Schuyler High Schools are actively monitoring Shell Creek and it's tributaries.

Rationale:  Progress Report and Invoice attached.

Focus of work on first three sites has been coordination with the USACE and the mitigation plan; shifting area of mitigation for first phase to Site 26 from site 27.  A meeting is scheduled for 6/1, at 1:00, between NRD, Olsson, and USACE to finalize plan for mitigation permit(s).  
On 5/19, NRD, Olsson and Saunders county met to discuss road impacts on site 26.  A plan similar to site 77 impact (culvert/road raise) will be planned and presented to Saunders county Road & Bridge committee on 6/13.
Also wrapping up 90% comments from NRCS and working on 60% submittal returns for 77, 66, 55, 82
 

Rationale:  Invoice attached.  Danielle with Olsson will be reaching out to title companies on our behalf to get quotes for the following services as required by our funding sources:
Prepare initial title commitments, prepare settlement statements, easement deeds and any other closing documents, provide closing services, record deeds and any other necessary documents and issue final title policies.
Once mitigation areas are permanently defined Cody Gerdes, Great Plains Appraisal, will plan on getting out to the field to appraise the properties.  Planning on 7/1 to start.

Rationale:  As mentioned last month, our NeDNR agreement was amended to allow for permanent easements.  We will need to work with a title company to facilitate this process including title insurance.
Reimbursement requests are being prepared and will go out in the next month.  We have roughly $300k from NRCS and $300k from NeDNR to request.

Rationale:  Representatives from NRCS, NDEE, and the NRD met on May 12th and May 26th to discuss planning for the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) in the Wahoo Creek Watershed.  Needed updates to the 319 Watershed Management Plan were also discussed.  Meetings will continue for several months with the hope of having an approved NWQI and updated 319 plans.  These plans will enable hiring a full or part time coordinator similar to Shell Creek, on the ground projects, and increased landowner costshare.

Rationale:  We received some feed back from NRDS on an estimated timeline for WFPO that will be included in a future Viaduct article.

• 2-3 years - NRCS planning assistance request (requested in April 2023)
• 2-3 years - Plan Update (begin in 2025): planning, design alternatives, stakeholder outreach
• 3-5 years - Final design, land rights, permitting
• Summary: 7 to 11 years before construction begins

Potential water quality initiatives are discussed below in LPRCA agenda item.

Rationale:  Colfax County has a signed funding agreement with NeDNR.

Rationale:  Leshara request for $442.50 attached.

Rationale:  LPRCA meeting occurred on May 31st.  Agenad and draft budget is attached.
Future projects may include a water quality trend analysis based off of the USGS real time monitoring network (proposal attached) and a summer 2023 directors tour (LPS & Papio).
Updates were given by all 8 member organizations.
Action was taken to approve updating the Water Quality Management Plan in house.  The 3 NRDs and NDEE will jointly work on this over the next year.  This update will enable work in Skull and Bone Headwaters watersheds similar to Shell Creek.
Kevin Kruse, JEO, was in attendance to give a brief presentation on the East Fremont/Elkhorn Township Project.  Action was taken to approve a letter of support for the Project.

Rationale:  The Water Committee is currently working through a variance issue in Butler County that includes erosion and sedimentation concerns.