February 12, 2018 at 1:30 PM - Regular Board of Directors Meeting

On Tuesday, January 16, 2018 FYRA Engineering organized and held a Platte River Flood Plain Mapping update meeting held in Fremont. Invitees were Dept. of Natural Resources (NeDNR) Katie Ringland and Jamie Reinke, Dodge County, City of Fremont, Inglewood and Lower Platte North NRD.
Katie Ringland gave a presentation on NeDNR Flood Plain Management responsibilities, the processes of mapping, funding and requirements required of FEMA. She also explained the Hydrologic Study that the Corps of Engineers organization "Silver Jackets" is currently doing.
FYRA presented how they can also do Hydrology and Hydraulic Studies from Columbus to the Hwy 75 Bridge as they have done for the Papio Missouri NRD on the Missouri River and the lower Platte River from Ashland to the mouth. Their current completed study has been accepted by FEMA and the COE. FYRA said that they can potentially complete the studies well before NeDNR and the Silver Jackets. The cost is around $877,000 which incorporates Lower Loup and Papio-Missouri NRD’s.
Options:
(1) NeDNR has proposed mapping in these watersheds in their current FEMA mapping partner business plan.  The leverage data provided by the Silver Jacket’s Hydrology Study (Draft 2018) will likely move the anticipated project start date to October 2020.  If the local entities (Cities, Counties, NRD’s) are interested in Silver Jackets proposing a Hydraulic Study for the area, they can send a support/request letter to the Nebraska Silver Jackets for the funding cycle starting in late 2018.  If hydraulics is not secured through another means, it will be funded as part of the FEMA project.  Flood plain mapping will also be funded as part of the FEMA project.  This process generally takes 5.5 to 6 years, meaning an earliest effective date of December 2025.  We, the partners, will not burden any cost. At our South Fremont Study public information meeting at Christensen Field, we did not have any complaints regarding flood insurance premiums from the public.

(2) Hire a private consultant such as FYRA Engineering to do the Hydrology and Hydraulics Studies on the Platte River plus tributaries from Columbus to Hwy 75 at a price estimated at $877,000.  FEMA would also have to approve methods in these studies. Then the mapping may be an additional cost if we have the consultant do that phase.  Or have NeDNR do the mapping at no cost as part of the watershed project mentioned above.  At this point there is no guarantee the mapping would be expedited. We may gain 2-3 years but that is unknown as federal funding also plays a role each year in all the processes. We would have to designate a sponsor, in which they would have to organize all entities (Cities, Counties, NRD’s) for the entire river stretch and have them agree to cost and inter-local agreements, figure percentages of cost to each entity, etc. or have the consultant do the organization at an additional cost.
Verbally, City of Fremont and Dodge County representatives have said they would opt for Option 1.

Wells Permits Approved: #

The total number of approved permits for 2018 is 1

Location of Approved Well Permits for 2018:  Correct as of 1/31/2018

The District has been informed that 2-4 inch flow meter for livestock wells have been installed.  The cost share for a 4 inch meter is $386.00.  Staff has been in contact with Mike Malena to complete the paperwork.  Tentative approval for cost-share would be appropriated, if paperwork is completed by the Board Meeeting. 

*****At the June 28, 2017 Water Committee, motion (1) offer cost-share for flow meters to producers within 2 miles of the SQS #2 Boundary with-in LPNNRD and (2)to offer cost-share within the SQS #2 area to convert gallons reading registers to acre-inches. Cost-share for registers conversion will be $225 with producer paying the labor cost. Deadline for invoices will be by March 1.

*****At the November 30, 2016 Water Committee, motion was made to fund GWEL cooperator wells at $1,000 per 8 inch meters ($770 from WSF and $230 from LPNNRD = $1,000) and at $749 per 6 inch meters ($577 from WSF and $172 from LPNNRD = $749)

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# new wells has been reviewed and approved for decommissioning since the last Committee meeting.

# wells have been plugged, reviewed, and ready for cost share payment approval this month.

• The 2018 DNR Practice Cost List for SWCP cost-share.  The costs would be effective for all NEW approvals (FY 2019)
• The Lands for Conservation (LFC) terms and payment rate for summer 2018.  Proposed rate is $198/acre. 

 As authorized by the Board, Assistant Manager Mountford contacted Mainelli Wagner and Associates on starting the process for completing the next Shell Creek Bank Stabilization Project (Hamata-Vavrecek) as a contract extension to the completed Kramer stabilization project.  The contractor, Kohl Construction, has indicated an interest a contract extension and NDEQ has indicated that this will be allowable with regard to use 319 grant funding as a project extension.  Director Bailey has also been very involved working with Colfax County to get their participation with the project and it looks promising that they will provide the engineering, permitting and construction oversight if LPNNRD provides the construction costs.  While it is not yet know what the construction costs will be, they are roughly guesstimated at $100,000 at this time. The actual cost estimate is expected to be completed soon.  NDEQ grant funds would be used to cover 100% of the construction cost.  While we were not quite ready for a committee recommendation, there is a possibility that we may have enough details by the February 12 Board meeting for a motion to proceed.