November 30, 2023 at 7:30 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Final deliverables for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of alternatives planning project were delivered to NEMA and forwarded onto FEMA.

Rationale: 

The partners have directed JEO to amend their agreement with the County to maximize available grant funding of $250,000.  This is not anticipated to increase the NRD's commitment of $20,000 representing approximately one-third of required local costs.  As the project progresses, it will focus on advancing ordinance adoption and non-structural programming including:

• City Council/County Board education on need for non-structural and ordinance updates

• Public Education/Information gathering on need for non-structural and ordinance updates

• Develop the ordinances and non-structural program framework

• Assist City with the adoption of ordinances

• Prepare for FY24 Application for any remaining non-structural items or possibly Farmland Levee (eligibility is still a question, but we won’t know for sure until application)

Rationale:  JEO is working on the plan writing now trying to get the 90% package ready.  Getting the field work done and results back are going to be the main drivers on delivery date.  Once JEO gets that info, we can have the full 90% plan drafted up in 2-3 weeks.

Both geotech and wetlands folks have this on their to-do list and hoping can get their field work done by 12/1.  Geotech will probably have a longer turnaround time on getting their findings and report back to the plan writers but they shouldn’t have much impact on the actual plan writing. 
 
Economics are in process.  Things are still looking good from that regard.  The economist was updated so he’ll be prepared to turnaround his final report pretty quickly once JEO sends him final cost estimates.

90% plan documents are expected to be submitted to NRCS by 1/5.  A 90% plan review meeting will be scheduled for the week of 1/22.

The next regular monthly partners meeting will be on Monday December 18th, 1:00pm at Dodge County Emergency Managers office and/or Microsoft Teams.

Rationale:  The next SCWIG meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 5th, 10:00am at Columbus NRCS office.

Rationale:  An onsite waste water treatment system was upgraded for Randy Brabec at a total cost of $5,443.01.  60% of that is reimbursable by NDEE 319 funds.

Rationale:  Sites 26 & 27: Tree removal bids plan to be advertised 12/6, hold a pre-bid meeting 12/19, and have bids due 1/4/24 to be awarded at 1/8/24 Board meeting.

Site 77:  Olsson has analyzed several scenarios to deal issue regarding 72" principal spillway; NRCS has no standard design drawings to cover a 72" concrete pipe principal spillway, therefore, would require an extensive review from National.  There is also concerns about challenges faced with installing pipe of that size to design specs.
The recommended alternative for further analysis is a dual 48" pipe spillway with a small increase in auxiliary spillway width.  NRCS will need to approve.

Site 55: Olsson will request further geotech analysis from NRCS to best determine path forward to deal with Todd Valley sands at site.  Engineering/design costs are covered through WFPO program.

Rationale:  Offer letters were mailed 11/27, Danielle Allen made contact with all landowners and has begun to set up meetings.  Danielle will be available for the Board meeting.

Olsson invoice for $2,873.63 attached.
Great Plains invoice for $23,100.00 attached.

Rationale:  Drew and Ryan are meeting with NDEE on December 4th to outline a 319 grant workplan.  NRCS is planning to have an in-person NWQI (National Water Quality Initiative) meeting at the NRD the week of December 18th.

Rationale:  Bi-Annual meeting occurred on November 29th at LPSNRD.  Our next meeting will occur in May, 2024.  By the next meeting, the NRD's plan to have some work done on updating the Alliacne Watershed Management Plan.  This is what makes our Skull & Bone watersheds eligible for NDEE 319 grant funds (similar to SCWIG).  Staff plan to begin working on a 319 project plan for Skull and Bone once our Wahoo Creek 319 plan is complete, spring/summer of 2024.

The Alliance has engaged USGS to look at a trend analysis on continuous water quality collected at four sites: Platte River at Louisville, Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Platte River at Leshara, and Salt Creek near Ashland.  There is a document attached describing the proposed study in more detail.  Staff are recommending a presentation from USGS at a future committee or board meeting.  Direction is requested before the next Alliance meeting in May.  All Alliance members have shown some degree of interest.  Total cost of the project is estimate at $148,100.  USGS will contribute $48,300 with interested Alliance members responsible for the remaining $99,800.  This would be a two year project spread between two to three fiscal years.

2024 membership bill of $1,000 and our share of the Leshara stream gauge of $5,320 will arrive soon.  There are 8 members of the alliance: LPS, PMR, LPN, National Guard, Game & Parks, UNL, NeDNR, and NDEE.  Three are 5 entities splitting Leshara gauge costs: LPS, PMR, LPN, LWS, and MUD.

The Lower Platte South facilitated an airboat tour to view and discuss projects downstream of the highway 6 bridge.  They had 11 of their 21 directors, several staff, and one senator attend.  Is this an interest to LPN?

Elbert with NDEE is planning on retiring in March.

An agenda for this meeting is attached along with approved minutes from the previous bi-annual meeting on May 31st, 2023.

Rationale:  Director Saalfeld coordinated a meeting on November 11th.  Lots of discussion occurred regarding potential funding and technical assistance.  The bottom line, is an entity is needed to lead projects and hold easements.

Our legal council, Jovan, gave us some guidance:
- The Village of Morse Bluff could as long as the project is within their one mile zoning jurisdiction (the project does not appear to be within their jurisdiction),
- A Township could as long as it is not defunct,
- A drainage district could (if one exists) and/or a SID.  A SID gets complicated as it has to go through a similar process of setting up an IPA (Improvement Project Area) by landowner petitioning and future burdens of elections, insurance, budgets, and auditing.
- Another option could be a rural fire district as they are political subdivisions and could argue that it falls under the scope of their emergency response services.

Attendees included: Directors Saalfeld and Tonnies, Staff Chapman, Greg Johnson with the US ACE, and four landowners.

Rationale:  Keep Fremont Beautiful's Scrap Tire Collection Event occurred on November 11th.  Director Saeger and Staff Chapman helped at the event along with thirteen other volunteers.  Approximately 375 participated and 365.83 tons of tires were collected in 5 hours.