Tecumseh - Budget was on the mind of Nemaha Natural Resources District directors at their meeting on Thursday, August 13. With just over a month until the FY2016 budget is due, the board worked on finalizing expenditures and determining the necessary tax request for the year. Impacting the budget were a couple of other agenda items, with the bids for a bridge and for a box culvert on a road involved with the Duck Creek project near Peru requiring the largest budget modification. 

The board approved a bid of $383,047.00 from Midwest Underground, Inc., from Lincoln for the bridge on a road impacted by the Duck Creek dam construction. Because water would have inundated the current road, the NRD in cooperation with Nemaha County is relocating the road, which results in replacing two aging bridges with one bridge and one concrete box culvert. The bid of $286,311.38 from JJK Construction, LLC, also of Lincoln was approved for the installation of the culvert. Funds originally included in the budget for the two projects were about $100,000 short, requiring that budget item be adjusted. 

was also taken by the board to approve contributing $25,000 toward a special project with Klaus Hartmann which will result in construction of another dam in the Turkey Creek watershed. Around 15 years ago when construction was underway in Turkey Creek, the goal was to build 70 small dams throughout the watershed. So far 63 dams have been constructed, so this project would result in additional flood and erosion control for that project area. It is estimated the total cost of the structure is around $100,000, and the landowner is paying the balance.

After adding those two increases to the budget, the board examined some other potential projects to include. Their decision was to increase spending for groundwater consulting, cost-share assistance for land treatment, and rehabilitation work on Upper Big Nemaha 25-C near Adams. However, they capped the increases by requiring a $200,000 cut in the property tax requirement over that collected last year, which also means a lower tax levy. The resulting budget will be around $6.5 million with about $2.2 million provided by local taxes. Final figures and the exact, projected tax requirement and levy will be published and provided for public review during a hearing next month just prior to the board's regular meeting.

In other action an amendment was approved to the contract with LakeTech Consulting to include a bathymetric survey of Prairie Owl lake. This public recreation lake is located south of Dunbar and was constructed in 1976. The survey will provide an updated map of the lake bottom and help determine the feasibility of removing sediment from the lake. Funding for the survey will be provided entirely through EPA Section 319 funds. 

One well permit was on the agenda for consideration. Located in Richardson County, the permit for Anthony Ahern for an irrigation well was approved. 

Dan Hodges, Julian, and Don Siske, Table Rock, will serve as the District's voting delegate and alternate, respectively, at the annual conference of Natural Resources Districts. The conference will take place at Kearney on September 28 and 29.

Environmental Trust Funds will be requested for the purchase of a new no-till drill. The current drill was purchased with similar funding back in 1997. The board approved a resolution which would request up to $22,500 for a new drill next fiscal year. NRD contributions toward the purchase would total $7,500.

One of two items for discussion included an erosion issue near Eagle Lake southwest of Eagle. Staff updated the board on the problems occurring with heavy rains sending sediment toward the lake. Efforts will be made to help the upstream landowners find solutions to alleviate the erosion.

NRD Manager, Bob Hilske, explained the landowner offer to donate to the NRD a small parcel of land adjacent to the Steamboat Trace. A draft agreement was presented to the landowner, and a surveyor has been contacted to assist in determining some of the boundaries. 

The next regular meeting of the Nemaha Natural Resources District board of directors will be Thursday, September 10, beginning at 8:00 p.m. Committees will meet prior to the regular meeting. A public hearing on the NRD's budget will also take place prior to the meeting and beginning at 7:00 p.m.