January 7, 2025 at 7:30 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Adam Brockman, NRD Field Technician, will be present to update committee on the status of SWCP projects.

Rationale:  Attached is an invoice for $60,000 and pictures of work completed to the Central Cutoff Ditch by the North Bend Drainage District.  We signed an interlocal with the Drainage District to fund $60,000.

Rationale:  Staff are meeting with NeDNR to discuss a potential residential property acquisition located in the Platte River floodway.  100% grant funds are available through the FEMA FMA Swift Current grant program.

Rationale:  Bill Bos submitted three completed projects for payment, 75% cost-share amount in $red:
 

August Runge	Grade stab/WW	$9,184	$12,954.51
Don Marking	Grass waterway	$7,398	$5,587.49
Sharon Barjenbruch	Grade stabilization/seeding	$18,375	$17,961.98

The payments will be reimbursed through our Shell Creek 319/NET grants.
Our next SCWIG meeting is January 21st, 10:00am, Columbus NRCS office.

Rationale:  Newman Grove Students were accepted to present at the Nebraska Alliance for Conservation and Environmental Education.  Registration assistance is requested.

Rationale:  Dan Lightbody will be available to update.
Olsson met with DNR on 12/10 to discuss site 77 design and update on other sites.  
Bob Heinman, and Elliott met with Dan Lightbody on 1/6 to discuss specifics of drawdown valves and access requirements for maintenance spillways.
October and November invoices and progress reports attached.

Rationale:  Danielle Allen will be available to provide update on appraisal process for sites 55 and 84.
An invoice from Great Plains Appraisal for Site 55 appraisals is attached.

Rationale:  Highlights from the past month of work:

• Shanahan is focusing work on site 27; placing riprap on two shoreline stabilization areas, creek diversions for embankment/spillway construction and tree clearing.
• Grading impacts from auxiliary spillway over ammonia pipeline required Olsson to alter alignment of auxiliary spillway outlet north ~100'.
• Plans moving forward (weather dependent) will be continued riprap hauling/stockpiling and tree removal/burning.

Attached is an invoice from TCI for work completed under contract.

Rationale:  Matt Moser with USGS will be here to discuss the proposed continuous water quality agreement for data collection at Leahara for three years.  If all partners (LPS, Papio, MUD, LWS, LPN) are participating in the data collection effort, the cost per agency will be roughly $6,470 per year.

Rationale:  Round 2 meetings for jurisdictions will take place on Tuesday 1/7 in Wahoo at 2pm, 1/16 in David City, and 1/21 Virtual.  An invitation is attached.
Community drought worksheets were finalized with input from NeDNR and NDEE.  JEO and NRD staff have begun meeting with communities to assess their needs including Cedar Bluffs and Abie.  Meeting coming up include Lindsay and Bellwood.  Staff plan to meet with all communities in the NRD within the next few months.
An invoice and progress report is attached.

Rationale:  Update on potential funding for levee repairs.

Rationale:  At our last Board meeting, it was suggested that the NRD host a pesticide recycling event.  In 2024, Frontier Coop in Waverly collected containers from May through August, the City of West Point collects them year-round, and the City of North Platte also collects year around.  2025 collection sites are unknown.  There are many requirements for the containers and sites that can be found here: https://pested.unl.edu/recycling/ though pick up and recycling is paid for by the national coalition of pesticide manufactures.  A few requirement highlights:

• Only high-quality containers are accepted.  Upon arrival, containers are spread upon a tarp and inspected for "HDPE" with the plastic resting code number "2", must be triple rinsed and clean, held crop protection products or professional pesticide products.  Rejected containers remain the property of the vehicle's driver.
• At least 1,000 pounds of containers must be collected before being picked up (roughly 1,500 containers).
• Containers must be free of label booklets, plastic shrink-wrap labels, and caps.
• Containers will be bagged in provided bags.
• Bagged containers must be stored to avoid exposure to the elements.

Board guidance is requested.