Webster County approved a $349,595.50 contract with Theis LLC, doing business as Empire Excavation, to begin restoration work at Meyer Marsh, a wetland and oxbow project on Lizard Creek.

Matt Cosgrove, Webster County conservation director, told the board the project had six bidders and Empire submitted the low bid. "They have provided their signed contract, their bid bond information, and their insurance," Cosgrove said, adding that references and due diligence checks had come back satisfactorily.

Cosgrove said a preconstruction meeting was held and work could begin this week "depending on how much water is actually out there because it is a wetland and oxbow project." He said the contractor's deadline is Oct. 3 so county staff can complete seeding.

The project is fully funded by reimbursement from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Cosgrove said. He described the restoration as part of a broader management plan and noted previous work on the same stream: "We did about 4,000 feet of stream bank restoration on this a couple years ago. So this is just additional improvements that we're planning on doing at the wildlife management area."

The board voted to approve the contract and authorized Cosgrove to sign it. The motion carried after the usual voice vote.

County staff said they plan to document the work with drone video before, during and after construction to show the project's progress.