Drainage authority approves minor alteration for County Ditch 10 crossing at 70 Fifth Ave. SW

At a public hearing May 6, the Kandiyohi County Drainage Authority approved a county request to make a minor alteration to the County Ditch 10 crossing at 70 Fifth Avenue SW.

Cale Van Bruggen, counsel for the drainage authority, explained the legal standard: under Minnesota drainage statutes the board must find the proposed change will not affect or impair the efficiency of the drainage system before granting approval. Austin Hillbrands, the county drainage manager, presented notice and publication affidavits showing the hearing was published and distributed to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Hillbrands said the DNR had the matter under review and had acknowledged receipt of the materials; the DNR’s written hydraulic approval remained pending as of the hearing.

Public Works engineer Mel Odins summarized the county’s hydraulic risk assessment and recommended approval. Odins said the proposal replaces a timber bridge with two 12-by-10 openings (providing a 24-foot clear width), that the structure’s computed flow velocity through the openings would be about 3 feet per second (below typical scour thresholds) and that upstream stage impacts would be negligible (a 0.1‑foot increase in extreme events). Odins recommended approval based on those findings.

No members of the public spoke at the hearing. The drainage authority adopted draft findings and an order approving the minor alteration; counsel noted the county must secure the DNR director’s written approval of the change in hydraulic capacity before construction proceeds. The Board’s roll-call vote was unanimous.

The matter concluded with the board closing the drainage hearing and returning to regular county business.