August 1, 2024 at 8:30 AM - Operations Committee Meeting

Rationale:  There is no unfinished business to address.

Rationale:  M.E. Collins is back removing dirt from the three northern Cat Paws. They may reach their contracted 10,000 cubic yards.

Rationale:  The O & M crew spent considerable time unplugging a 24" culvert at Homestead Lake. The culvert is under our road and was designed with grates on both ends. The grates will be removed to prevent blockage.
We continue to spray trees on NRD properties and Clear Creek Levee.

Rationale:  A 60% study completion meeting was held on Thursday, July 25 between NRD staff, NRCS and HDR. The HDR engineering team reviewed five alternatives for the rehabilitation of Cottonwood 21-A. The alternatives are: Alt 1 - No Action/FWOFI - Alternative doesn't meet purpose & need.
Alt 2 - SLO Financed (Funded solely by NRD) $1.2+ million
Alt 3 - Structural Rehab to High Hazard (New Spillway to East)
Alt 4 - Structural Rehab to High Hazard (Modify Existing A. Spillway)
Alt 5 - Structural Rehab to Significant Hazard (Buyout 3 homes downstream)
After reviewing all alternatives, Alt 3 & 4 are our best options, both at an estimated cost of $2.8 million. See attached diagrams.
Alt - 3 gives 500 year protection, water will cross the County road in this event..
Alt - 4 gives 100-year protection and the County road will have water over it in this event.
Staff and an engineer would like to meet with the landowners on both alternatives to explain the alternatives and discuss their concerns before the District makes a decision.

Rationale:  NRD staff have provided Terry Miller, Saunders County Emergency Manager, with an estimated damage cost on the Wanahoo area. That figure was forwarded to FEMA. We have not heard back from FEMA/NEMA.

Rationale:  We have not heard from the COE regarding the elevations related to the tie- back levee and the Clear Creek Levee. The Clear Creek D & D raised a portion of the tie-back levee some years back. Houston Engineering has provided us with LIDAR information showing that the tie-back levee is lower than the Clear Creek Levee, therefore it will not cause a rise in flood flows. We will use this information when the COE informs us of what they want.

Rationale:  Kirk Brand is requesting a larger CMP (corrugated metal pipe) in the county road ditch and his field, which drains into Rawhide Ditch 8 along Co. Rd 24.
Dodge County will not help with this project. Mr. Brand said he would help financially with a larger pipe. The committee directed Heimann to get estimates for replacing the existing pipe.

Rationale:  Heavy rains & flooding caused damage to a landowners' field and the bank of Bellwood Ditch 4. (See Photos)
Staff will get an estimate from an area contractor(s) for work to be accomplished after harvest. 
We had a similar repair in 2022 that cost $4,500. We also had some work done 9 years ago.

Rationale:  Houston Engineering, the designers of the Wanahoo basin repair after the 2019 flood event, have a proposal to inspect the basin for damage at a cost of $6,988. (See Attached Quote)
Houston Engineering, Ethan Miller and Connor Kelly inspected the Stilling Basin and area on May 29 after the water receded. Here are their notes:
Apron Inspection
We did a grid inspection of the apron and no damage was found. The baffle plate and baffles also appear to be undamaged. Some minor separations (1/2") between the end sill and sheet pile were noted on the west side as well. This section still appeared to be in stable condition. 
Stilling Basin Inspection
We also probed the rock stilling basin and the rock armoring and shape of the pool seemed to be intact. The pool beneath the bank line that eroded was in good condition. We could not fully inspect the center of the basin with our equipment.
Relief Wells
There is noted damage to the relief wells on the east side that you're likely aware of. The most upstream well has a damaged outlet pipe in the area where the bank eroded. The housing unit on the eastern downstream well was also dislodged. A free floating conduit was observed near the outlet of the western downstream well, but that well appeared to be undamaged. 
 

Rationale:  The District received revenue from our grass drills in Saunders and Platte Counties for the first half of the year. Rezac Seed paid the District $1,028.70, 15 cooperators used the drill. Rosendahl Farms paid the District $503.50, 9 cooperators used the drill.

Staff is currently working on a NET grant to purchase a new grass drill to replace the drill in Platte County that is over 20 years old. The past couple of years, the District has spent considerable dollars repairing the drill.

A motion will be needed at Board Meeting
To authorize staff to write a NET grant to purchase a new no-till grass drill in 2025 at an estimated cost of $50,000. 

Rationale:  We have not received any request for payments.

Rationale:  For the month of June, the District received $9,644.00 in annual park permit revenue. The year by year break down is listed below. 
 

Month	Monthly Total	YTD
June 2024	$9,644.00	$55,311.00
June 2023	$10,390.00	$61,495.00
June 2022	$10,462.50	$62,495.00
June2021	$10,567.50	$72,907.50
June 2020	$13,030.00	$80,255.00
June2019	$12,290.00	$62,800.00

 

Rationale:  For the month of June, the District received $16,992.50 in camping revenue. The year by year comparison is below. 
 

June 2024	$16,992.50	$58,788.95
June 2023	$18,097.23	$61,992.46
June 2022	$17,755.42	$60,242.33
June 2021	$16,352.03	$67,185.82
June 2020	$20,362.09	$75,030.44
June 2019	$15,709.51	$42,870.46

Rationale:  We are looking into increasing the number of 50 AMP camp sites as demand for them has increased.  We are looking into pricing per camp site. Once we have a rough estimate we will bring it back to committee. 

Rationale:  With the recent incident in the park, we are in need of better video coverage of Wanahoo's east side.  The only cameras we have on the east side of Wanahoo are located on the building.  These do not provide adequate coverage of the park and traffic coming in and out.  Diode (same company as building cameras) provided us with a 30 day free trial of two separate cameras, one stationary and one movable, both are quality cameras but the movable camera provides much better coverage.  It can detect people and vehicles and follow them if desired. 

https://command.verkada.com/cameras 

Rationale:  The Clint Johannes Education Building at Lake Wanahoo was rented 18 times. Revenue for the month was $2,000.

Rationale:  The KTIC radio ads and Wahoo newspaper e-ads during July featured the availability of cost-share for abandoned wells. August ads will feature all three recreation areas. The ads are attached. 

Rationale:  The LPNNRD Facebook and X pages, along with the website are some of the fastest ways to get information out to the public. Facebook and X posts range from 12 -18 posts per month. If you are on Facebook or X, please like, follow, share, or retweet the Lower Platte North NRD posts!

Total reach/impressions show how many people saw the post/tweet. Engagements include likes, comments, shares/retweets and link clicks.

July had a total of 16 posts.

Followers for July	Total	Increase/Decrease
Facebook	1,635	Up .62%
X	451	Up 4.6%

Posts included:
• Upcoming variance request deadlines
• Hazard Mitigation Plan survey link
• Summer Viaduct is available to read on the website
• 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Field Day
• Board Meeting reminders
• Rural Water maintenance notice
• Saunders County Fair bug hotels activity poster

WEBSITE	Users	Traffic Channel Changes	Top Pages	Devices
July	2,225	Organic -13.66% Direct 17.39% Referral -4.71% Social -50.85%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Outdoor Recreation Downloads	Mobile 57% Desktop 41.5% Tablet 1.5%
June	2,895	Organic 19.25% Direct 15.94% Referral 98.82% Social -54.24%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Flood Damage Reduction Staff	Mobile 57% Desktop 41.5% Tablet 1.5%
May	2,721	Organic 40.51% Direct 17.95% Referral 63.64% Social -33%	Lake Wanahoo Home Czechland Flood Damage Reduction Staff	Mobile 62.8% Desktop 35.5% Tablet 1.7%

Traffic channels: organic traffic means they use a search engine then choose an option that includes lpnnrd.org, direct traffic means they type in lpnnrd.org directly (or have it bookmarked), and referral traffic is any other traffic not from a search engine or social (such as a link from another site). As of mid-September changes for traffic channels and devices will show increase or decrease for the month.

Top referral clicks from: NARD’s website 20, visitnebraska.com 21, Wahoo newspaper website (LPNNRD digital ad) 1.
Clicks from Facebook: 24.
Clicks from Twitter: 3.

Rationale:  July 11-14: Butler County fair was a bit slower than the past two years inside the building on Saturday and Sunday. A handful of brochures were taken; stickers, kites and wildflower seed packets were a success with the kids that walked through.

July 30: Saunders County Fair "Bug Hotels" activity for kids with recycled materials had 9 kids.  

July 31-August 4: Dodge County Fair booth will be set up in Scribner.
 

Rationale:  The RWD has been struggling with our WaterWorks billing software for the entirety of its existence; the remote meter reading capability was lost when PWG and Small Data Systems dissolved, the software has been exceedingly sporadic in its usuablityl and the accounting integrity has been questioned by HBE.
The RWD reached out to multiple outlets to inquire about new software and remote meter reading options.  Municipal Supply (attach) presented the best option and staff recommended to move forward with this option.
Total price: $12,570.00
Includes: Remote (drive-by) meter reader, compatible with existing meters.  New software package ($1,200/year subscription), on-site training.
 

Rationale:  The RWD was notified on 7/19 of a leak within the Village of Colon.  The RWD with assistance from the CIty of Wahoo were able to locate and repair the service line leak on 7/22.
Routine monthly sampling completed and bills mailed 7/30.

Rationale:  The Bruno RWD was contacted by landowner wanting to connect to the system due to a failed well.  The property sits across HWY 12B spur and will require boring to run the service line to the property.  The RWD has been in contact with multiple contractors and NDOT (permitting) to get the project lined up.  
During the monthly meter reading/billing it was noted that one residential customer had an excessive use (285,000 gallons).  Elliott contacted the landowner to inquire about the usage; an abandoned service line to a hog barn had ruptured and wasn't discovered for a period of time.  The leak was repaired and no further assistance was requested.
Routine monthly sampling completed, bills mailed 7/30.