January 29, 2026 at 7:30 AM - Projects Committee Meeting

Rationale:  Attached is our current SWCP Policy for review.  Staff would like to specifically address Attachment C - Guidelines for Water Impoundment (Small Dams) & Grade Stabilization Structures.  
The NRD is contacted regularly about rehab cost-share on existing structures eg: principal spillway (pipe) repair/replacement, embankment work, or dredging.  Current policy is only directed at new construction.  Staff is requesting guidance related to these instances.

Rationale:  Stan Keiser contacted the NRD requesting assistance on his private dam. The dam was built around 1950. The NRD, Saunders County, Clear Creek D & D and Keiser had previously assisted in rehabilitating the dam by lining the pipe 25 years ago. The current spillway riser and pipe are compromised and not functioning properly (picture attached). This is a state permitted & regulated structure (NE10027) and was last inspected by DNR Dam Safety in June 2023. The dam is also six miles downstream of Alten, Champion Feeders (Mead Cattle Co.) and the former Ordinance Plant.
NRD staff and DNR advised Keiser to get an engineer's estimate and report back to NRD.
The District should update the SWCP Policy regarding private dam rehab assistance with a set of priorities and limitations.
 

Rationale:  A meeting of the Dodge County Joint Water Management Advisory Board will convene Thursday, February 12, 2pm at the City Council Chambers, City Administration Building.  Attached is the draft agenda and expired JWMAB interlocal agreement.  Also attached is a USGS camera invoice that will be paid via agreement.

Rationale:  Attached is a notice from NRCS that the project will have No Significant (environmental) Impact.  It is on public notice until March 15.  We expect the plan to be approved shortly thereafter.  Below is some text from NRCS related to this notice along with a link to the final plan.

Sent on behalf of G. James Huntwork, Acting State Conservationist

Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has prepared a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) titled "Rawhide Creek Watershed Plan, Colfax and Dodge Counties of Nebraska" in partnership with Dodge County Board of Supervisors. The environmental assessment of this federally assisted action indicates that the project will not cause significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As a result of these findings, I have determined that the preparation and review of an environmental impact statement is not needed for this project.

The Proposed Action involves constructing three interdependent elements. At site L1-1, a berm would be constructed along the eastern bank of the existing Brush Creek Dam outfall for a length of approximately 1 mile to prevent floodwater from overtopping the existing ditch. At site L1-2, the Cutoff Road would be raised for a distance of approximately 2.3 miles to prevent floodwater from overtopping the road, reducing agricultural flooding damages. Site DC1-13A is composed of two holding areas and a connecting channel that will provide temporary detention of floodwaters that would be released slowly over time, reducing flooding in Fremont. The primary goal is to protect the City of Fremont and nearby agricultural lands from the adverse effects of flooding, which has been a frequent issue in the region. The project aims to minimize flood damage by reducing runoff, erosion, and sediment, and by controlling surface water from excessive rainfall and stream overflow. Additionally, this initiative may reduce or even eliminate the need for some residents to have flood insurance.

No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be taken until after March 15, 2026. You may view a copy of the FONSI and associated Environmental Assessment at the following website: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/nebraska/projects-ready-for-public-comment-and-review.

For more information, please contact Melissa Baier, ASTC-Water Resources and Easements, at 402.437.4065 or by email at melissa.baier@usda.gov.
 

Rationale:  SCWIG held a meeting on January 20th.  Topics included: grant funding, upcoming projects, billboards, and sponsoring volunteer monitoring students to the SWCS conference.
The Christ Lutheran Chruch project was redesigned and the engineers estimate was lowered to roughly $200k.  The redesign is awaiting Corps approval.  Once approved, the Platte County will let bids.  After a construction contract is signed, we will have a good idea on funds remaining to support spring/summer BMPs.  Bill's list of septic system applications has been cleaned up.  We are down to 1 awaiting construction.
We had 6 billboards and are down to 5 after one was removed for road construction.  SCWIG plans to replace the removed structure and add an additional on the west side of Schuyler.  The group assigned a school to each billboard leaving an extra billboard that could be the either one on Hwy 30 near Schuyler.  The billboard without a school assigned will have the standard SCWIG logo instead of student artwork.  We will run the art competition this coming fall with instillation planned in 2027.  We will attempt to get the extra/SCWIG logo billboard up in 2026.
SCWIG would like to once again offer sponsorship to volunteer monitoring students at the 2026 International Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) Annual Conference to be held July 26-29 in St. Louis.

Rationale:  Weather slowed progress on all three sites over the past month, work completed:

• Shanahan completed channel cleanout and backfill (Site 26B)
•  TCI backfilled around the 12" PVC drawdown pipe concrete collar (Site 26A).
• Shanahan started work in the auxiliary spillway (Site 26B)
•  Shanahan continued work on the core trench (Site 26B)
•  Shanahan installed settlement #2 (Site 26B)
• Shanahan completed excavation of the plunge pool (Site 26B)
• Riprap hauling recommenced.

On 1/13 NRCS State Office personnel toured WCW sites 26 A&B & 27; pics attached
TCI Invoice attached

Rationale:  We recieved feedback from Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and Nebraska Game & Parks (NEGP) about our current Biological Assessment (BA) related to our Corps 404 permit.  Their concerns are related to Platte River depletions negatively impacting the Pallid Sturgeon's spawning.  They don't believe that our current strategy (26A, 26B, 27) will be sufficient to offset flow restrictions.  They are assuming that construction for the next 6 sites will be done all at once, but we have yet to determine a construction timeline.  We will be having a meeting with partners (FWS, NEGP) in the near future to hammer out details.

Site 77 is expected to be back from National Watershed Center review at the end of February.  State review will follow.

State review of site 55  is nearly complete and we should have permits by the end of February, site 84 will be complete early-mid spring.

Rationale:  Danielle Allen contacted all landowners on sites 66 & 86 to relay easement offers before offer package was delivered.  Elliott and Allen met with Chris & Brenda Pestal (site 66) and Bryan & Deb Machovec (site 66) in person to discuss appraisal and offers.
Rezac (site 85) update on pivot/well
Kresl (site 84) update

Rationale:  The Notice of Interest for the Wahoo Creek Management Project was accepted by 319. We will be meeting with them to go over the Project Implementation Plan.

Rationale:  Staff engaged NRCS to discuss options to continue flood reduction efforts in Skull and Bone watersheds.  One option is for the NRD to fund a Watershed Plan.  This plan would still need to meet NRCS requirements to make us eligible for federal design and construction funding in the future.  If the NRD were to fund the plan, it would put us closer to the front of the line for design funding.  Given some of the past reports and studies within the watershed, we are assuming developing a plan would be less costly.  Discussion is requested regarding how to proceed.

Rationale:  Lower Platte NRDs met with the Army Corps of Engineers to discuss potential projects.  Plans are to change our federal request to a more localized project focused on flood reduction to increase approval odds.

Rationale:  Information has been submitted to DWEE and we are awaiting a funding agreement.
Discussion is requested on attached agreement to assist with easement acquisitions.

Rationale:  The Village began construction of Phase II in October, 2025 and substantial completion was reached on January 7, 2026.  The Village is requesting $13,000 of our $31,000 pledge for Phase II.  Overall project documentation is attached.