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Drainage Authority approves sediment-storage basin on County Ditch 56 to reduce sediment and peak flows
Summary
Blue Earth County Drainage Authority granted a petition to impound and reroute parts of County Ditch 56, authorizing a 5.5-acre basin to capture sediment, reduce peak flows and lower maintenance needs, with state grant funding covering most costs.
The Blue Earth County Drainage Authority on June 10 approved a petition to impound, reroute and divert portions of County Ditch 56, authorizing construction of a storage and wetland basin intended to capture sediment and reduce peak flow rates into Lake Crystal.
ISG engineer Chuck Bridal presented the engineering review and recommended approval after a landowner meeting and hydraulic modeling. "In conclusion, the project is feasible, and I feel it is a benefit to the system. It will reduce flooding, capture sediment," Bridal said during the presentation. The board voted to accept the engineer's findings and order, including a reroute of Branch 1 and the condition that all necessary drainage easements be obtained.
Staff said the County Ditch 56 watershed covers roughly 9,400 acres in Garden City and Lincoln townships. The approved design creates about 5.5 acres of storage and wetland within a 7-acre easement area, with total storage of about 51 acre-feet and a 4-foot-deep sediment trap. ISG estimated the basin will capture roughly 350 tons of sediment and reduce routine cleaning in the open ditch and municipal culverts. Engineer modeling in the packet showed reductions in flood elevations upstream and downstream during many events.
Project cost was estimated at $662,000, county materials showed; an awarded grant for the project was reported at roughly $596,075 (packets also referenced a $600,000 award), leaving an estimated funding gap of about $65,925. The City of Lake Crystal and the Crystal Waters group committed a combined $60,000 toward the project (board clarification corrected an earlier $6,000 figure). No members of the public offered comment during the hearing.
Board members praised the collaborative effort among landowners, the Soil and Water Conservation District, ISG, the city and county staff. Commissioner Kevin, who moved approval, said the project could cut sediment loads substantially and serve as an example for other projects in the state. Staff said construction could begin shortly after finalizing plans and easements, with most work likely after harvest this year or next year depending on bids and scheduling.
