Wild Rice Watershed District Board members took the next step on a major flood reduction project with the decision to prepare an engineer’s report on a project to modify and expand the Upper Becker Dams in Becker County. The action came at the District’s  May monthly meeting.

The purpose of this project will be to expand the Becker Dams to enhance the project’s ability to retain flood water. The Upper Becker Dam is located in the eastern half of the South Branch of the Wild Rice River sub-watershed. The Upper Becker Dam was originally constructed by the Wild Rice Watershed District in 1980. At that time, the dam was built to store approximately 2,060 acre feet of temporary (non-gated) flood storage. The WRWD is   proposing to improve the structure to add approximately 8,600 acre feet of additional flood storage capacity. With the proposed enhancements, the site would provide 8.200 acre feet of gated storage and approximately 2,000 acre feet of temporary (non-gated) flood storage. It will have the potential to control about 38 mile square miles of the 250 square mile area of the South Branch sub-watershed.

Administrator Steve Dalen reported that there are 1,040 acres in the potential project site area and 33 parcels of land. The District has discussed obtaining an easement with a majority of the land owners in the project area and a majority have indicated interest in providing easement for a possible sale or land swap. He indicated that there will be some land issues, including a feed lot issue, but said he believed land issues could be resolved.

The Board previously approved going forward with soils analysis which is currently being performed at the site. This will provide information on the suitability of soils for construction and potential borrow sources. 

Engineer Jerry Bents said the cost of the engineer’s report would be in the range of $70,000 to $80,000. The soils analysis work at the site is expected in the range of $40,000. With the motion to go forward, Bents said it is hoped to have the engineer’s report completed by this fall.

Bents also noted that he discussed the cost of the engineer’s report with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the costs related to the engineer’s report may be eligible as in-kind dollars for the District’s share of the feasibility study being conducted on the lower reaches of the Wild Rice River. The District would like this portion of funding to address sediment problems in the river, which will be discussed with the Corps.

The engineer’s report will also provide a project cost estimate. State funding assistance for this project was included in the 2008 bonding bill. An issue for the board to resolve, if the project proves feasible and goes to construction, will be the local cost share portion of the project.

Also related to land purchases, the Board passed a resolution at their May meeting which spells out the procedure related to land purchases by the District related to Project #42. The motion was specific to the Upper Becker and CD #18 sites. The resolution gives the administrator authority to expend up to $5,000 on options, which would go towards the purchase price of the property. The Board also agreed that the full board will advise the administrator on land acquisitions.

Dalen reported on land purchases that have been completed in the CD?#18 site area in Clay County. The completed purchases are on file for public review in the District office.

In other business, the Board moved two repair requests forward in the Upper Reaches Project area of the Wild Rice River. 

The District has been moving forward with a request for repairs of the outlet of Project #31 (Heinemann Coulee). The land owner at the outlet has indicated that he does not want the District on his property, however, Attorney Leroy Hanson said the District has 100 feet of right-of-way on the north side of the project for ingress and egress to perform maintenance and to spread soil. The motion by the Board was to move forward with the repair, and if necessary to gain access the District will seek a temporary injunction through the Courts, and request assistance from the county sheriff, if required.  

The District also moved to go forward with the repair request on JD #51. This repair to clean the channel back to the original grade was placed on hold following a request from the City of Ada to have their engineering firm review downstream effects of the cleaning. That review confirmed the original hydraulic report that the maintenance would not create significant downstream problems. The Board had been waiting until the Corps finishes their review of hydraulic capacity as part of the proposed 205 flood protection feasibility study in Ada, which will likely be completed this summer. Manager Diane Ista raised concerns of the capacity of the Marsh River, and the potential of moving problems from one area to another. Bents explained under current conditions, the river has washed out about seven feet of its bottom behind the weir in the Wild Rice River where water enters JD #51 and the Marsh River. This means that the water has to be seven feet deeper in the Wild Rice River before any water begins traveling up JD #51. The motion passed to go forward with the remainder of the dirt removal between the weir and Highway 200. Don Vellenga abstained from the vote. 

The Board approved spending $3,300 from the small project fund to partner with the Mahnomen County SWCD and land owners on two sediment basin projects in Rosedale and LeGarde townships in Mahnomen County.

The Board also approved going forward with a request for an audit of the District’s books by the State Auditor. Administrator Dalen noted that this has been requested a number of times over the years, and he recommended the District make the request.

The Board also held their meeting to reorganize for 2008, which included welcoming Don Vellenga of Ada to the Board of Managers. Vellenga is a former school superintendent who was appointed to the Board as a representative from Norman County.

The Board made annual appointments of consulting services which are the same as 2007. The Board accepted the proposal from Houston Engineering of Fargo for engineering services, Marcussen Accounting Service  of Ada for accounting services, Elroy Hanson of the Wambach & Hanson Law Office of Mahnomen for legal representation,  and Tim Halle of Ada for public information services. The Board accepted the 2008 mowing and seasonal maintenance proposal from Hap Ambuehl of Ada. The Board accepted the spraying proposal from Philbrant’s Bigg Dogg Ag of Felton.

The slate of officers elected for 2008 included re-election of Warren Seykora as chairman, Bob Wright was re-elected vice chairman, Don Vellenga was elected secretary, and Mike Christensen was elected treasurer. 

In other business the Board:

*Approved sending a letter related to a complaint and investigation in Section #3 of Marsh Creek Township.

*Appointed Dalen as the District’s government data practices designee.

*Closed the meeting to discuss administrator evaluation.

*Approved investigating report of need for debris clean up on a flood buy out site near Halstad.

The Board approved the following permits: West Central Ag, Section 17, McDonaldsville Township, construct grain handling facility with two driveways with culverts and two internal pipes to facilitate drainage; Paul Borgen, Section 8, Anthony Township, replace an 18 inch culvert and flap gate; Skaurud Grain Farms Section 33, Waukon Township, install sub-surface drain tile with two lift station outlets to the township road ditch; Eric Zurn, Section 27/28, Spring Creek Township, install tile and grass waterway; City of Mahnomen, Sections 11 and 14, Pembina Township, install water main, sanitary sewer and replace lift station.