April 3, 2025 at 8:30 AM - Operations Committee Meeting
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1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Rationale:
We don't have unfinished business to address.
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2. WILD NE AND OTHER PROGRAMS
Rationale:
Nothing to report.
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3. OPERATION & MAINTENANCE & OTHER ITEMS
Rationale:
The O & M crew assisted in a prescribed burn on 170 acres of the Wanahoo property. Cut and cleared trees below the Cottonwood 7-A dam. We started moving materials from the grounds on our current property to our Wanahoo shed. Prepared a site for our new fuel barrel working through the State Fire Marshal. Regular maintenance on equipment and vehicles. Cleaned up blizzard/wind damaged trees at Czechland Lake.
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3.A. Rehabilitation of Cottonwood 21-A, NRCS & HDR
Rationale:
A reimbursement request for $265,082.99 was submitted to NRCS on 2/20/2025 and funds were received from NRCS 3/26/2025. An extension request is being sent to NRCS to extend the expiration date from 5/31/2025 to 12/31/2025.
The 90% report should be in review by the NRCS. |
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3.B. Wanahoo Basin Damage & Repair, FEMA
Rationale:
We will pay M.E. Collins $131,927.60 for the de-watering of the Wanahoo basin. $2,400.00 was deducted from the contract for materials not used.
Mike Sotak and Ethan Miller of Houston Engineering presented on their inspection of the basin during the de-watering. Slides were shown from the CFD Modeling they are using. The model shows velocities of the water in different colors coming from the spillway. Understanding these velosities in different areas should help figure out mitigation ideas to make the area more robust. In the basin itself, we may have gained 2' of depth but the rip-rap is in place. The gravel materials used as filters was displaced. Ethan provided the findings in the tunnels where the joints are being exposed. They will have recommendations for sealing the joints. A report will be written and presented in the near future. It is hoped that a project could be started by this Fall. |
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3.C. No-Till Grass Drill and Triple Axle Dump Trailer
Rationale:
We sold our 2008 No-Till grass drill for $15,500. It was surplus equipment/property.
Our triple axle dump trailer sold at auction, on-line for $7,925. We purchase it in 2017 for $8,740. |
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3.D. Hay Areas on Recreation Areas for 2025
Rationale:
Heimann is developing maps for this year's haying season. We will ask for bids and approve them in May.
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3.E. Fire Incident on the Wanahoo Property
Rationale:
On the afternoon of Thursday, March 27th an acreage owner/neighbor on the Wanahoo property may have been burning. The fire spread away from his residence to the North/NW and burned approximately 50 acres of the Wanahoo grassland, and it also jumped Co. Rd O. In the process, the neighbor was injured and taken to the hospital.
A Press Release was sent out by the District explaining that it was not related to the prescribed burn conducted by Pheasants Forever, NE Game & Parks, and LPN the previous day. |
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4. ROCK AND JETTY
Rationale:
We received a request for payment from Timberwood Homeowners Association. Their invoices add up to $20,520 for broken concrete and placing it on the Platte River bank.
We assisted them in 2023 with their invoice of $19,590 with a cost-share payment of $4,000. After the 2019 flood, we changed our cost-share rates. For individuals it's 50% upto $4,000 and Drainage Districts 50% upto $6,000. A motion was made to cost-share based on the higher tax valuation provided by the Timberwood development. After the committee, the Platte Valley Drainage District submitted invoices adding up to $16,298.75 for work accomplished on the levee in Saunders County. This request was added to the motion by cost-sharing with Platte Valley for $6,000.
Recommended Motion(s):
To cost-share with the Timberwood HOA at $6,000 and Platte Valley D & D at $6,000 for their Platte River bank stabilization and levee maintenance Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
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5. LAKE WANAHOO
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5.A. Lake Wanahoo Permit Sales
Rationale:
For the month of February, the District received $2,898.50 in annual park permit revenue.
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5.B. Lake Wanahoo Camping Revenue
Rationale:
For the month of February, the District received $2,661.62 in camping revenue.
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5.C. Clint Johannes Education Building
Rationale:
The Clint Johannes Education Building at Lake Wanahoo was rented 9 times in March, with 1 NRD rental. Revenue for the month was $975.
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6. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION
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6.A. Information
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6.A.1. Radio & eAds
Rationale:
The KTIC radio ads for March featured tree sales. The monthly ad for April will feature LPNNRD recreation areas.
The Wahoo newspaper e-ad for March also featured tree sales. This will be updated to environmental education opportunities for April. The ads are attached.
Attachments:
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6.A.2. Analytics
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 15-25 posts per month. If you are on Facebook or X, please like, follow, share, or retweet the Lower Platte North NRD posts!
If you ever notice on issues on the LPNNRD please let us know so we can get it corrected. During March, there were a few collaboration posts that boosted our engagement on Facebook with Set Your Sites for Lake Wanahoo’s new reservation site. There was also a press release that received almost 4500 views on Facebook. Top Posts for Facebook and X included: • Press release about fire on East side of Lake Wanahoo (attached) • LPNNRD Natural Resources Grant availability • Set Your Sites information • Job opportunity for O&M technician • Abandoned well cost-share availability On the LPNNRD website, we received traffic from NARD (108), Facebook (42), Nebraska Game and Parks (25), Nebraska tourism (16), X (4), Wahoo newspaper e-ad (1). The reports are attached. There was an issue with the engagement change but it is updated now.
Attachments:
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6.A.3. Dodge County Agricultural Society
Rationale:
Dodge County Agricultural Society is looking for sponsorships for the 2025 fair July 29 - August 3. Last year we donated $500. This included announcer recognition at events, recognition on donation boards at the fairgrounds and on the fair website, plus a banner with our logo that was displayed during the fair. This year, the same recognition would be available at the $500 level. Attached is the list of sponsorship levels.
Recommended Motion(s):
To donate $500 to the Dodge County Agricultural Society for sponsorship of the 2025 Dodge County fair Passed with a motion by Board Member #1 and a second by Board Member #2.
Attachments:
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6.A.4. Shell Creek Scholarships
Rationale:
Two of the three teachers said there were a few students interested in this, but we did not receive any Shell Creek scholarship applications last month. The deadline was March 15th.
Since Committee Meeting we have received two Scholarship Applications. Aleeya Morris from Newman Grove, she will be studying Elementary Education at Wayne State College. She has participated in the Shell Creek watershed monitoring program for five years. Brooke Forre from Newman Grove, she will be studying Pre-Professional Physical Therapy at Chadron State College. She has participated in the Shell Creek watershed monitoring program for six years. Scholarship recipients will receive ½ of the scholarship upon recipient selection, with the remainder being issued upon proof of successful completion of the first term with a GPA of B/3.0 or above. If a scholarship recipient fails to attend an accredited two-year or four-year college or university or does not complete their first term with a GPA of at least B/3.0, scholarship funds may be directed to an alternate. A motion will be needed at Board Meeting To approve Aleeya Morris and Brooke Forre each for a $1,000 Shell Creek Watershed Scholarship. Half of the scholarship will be paid after board approval, with the remaining amount paid after successful completion of the first term.
Attachments:
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6.B. Education
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6.B.1. Past events
Rationale:
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6.B.2. Upcoming events
Rationale:
Spring Conservation Sensation coming up May 7th |
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6.B.3. Outdoor Classrooms - Bloom Boxes
Rationale:
Nebraska Arboretum has Bloom Boxes, filled with 24 native perennial palnts, available for purchase. Boxes are $125 and are for full sun or partial sun sites; they come with information on each plant and signage. We reached out to 6 schools in our district to see if they were interested in adding a Bloom Box to their outdoor classroom/learning areas.The 6 schools we chose already have outdoor spaces they use or have a strong FFA / relationship with our NRD. Because of a short deadline to order the boxes, we limited it to those 6 schools, but plan to open it up to every school in our district next year. I've attached the write up and the form that is needed. Wahoo elementary is the only school that will be participating this year.
Attachments:
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6.B.4. LPNNRD Natural Resources Grant - Update
Rationale:
No students have turned in the grant application yet. East Butler has been in contact asking questions. Application deadline is May 1st. Form is attached, please share!
Attachments:
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7. RURAL WATER SYSTEMS
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7.A. Rural Water Operations
Rationale:
The impacts from the blizzard on 3/19 for both RWD:
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7.B. Colon System
Rationale:
The Colon RWD had its biannual sanitary survey completed with NDEE on 3/26. The survey highlighted that the Colon RWD is due for a cross-connection survey for customers which will be done this spring.
Routine monthly sampling completed, bills mailed 3/31. |
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7.C. Bruno System
Rationale:
Staff was contacted by a customer on the Bruno RWD with concerns about high pressure within their residence. The Bruno system runs high pressure (~105psi) to allow for filling the Bruno water tower. All of the residential customers have pressure reducing valves in the pit, set to 50psi, to protect residential plumbing from suurge/hammer. Elliott contacted David City water about changes to system and the explanation was due to multiple repairs, system shut downs/start ups, has caused surges in the system. When the concerned residence was checked the pressures were normal at 50psi.
Routine monthly sampling completed and bills mailed 3/31. |
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7.D. Other
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