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Drainage authority sets County Ditch 25 repair hearing, approves Minneopa Creek tree work and extends Judicial Ditch 15 deadline
Summary
At its May 6 meeting Blue Earth County’s drainage authority set a repair hearing date for County Ditch 25 on May 27, awarded a Minneopa Creek tree- and brush-clearing contract to Newnan Excavating LLC for $18,491.60, and granted Larson Contracting a 17-day extension on Judicial Ditch 15’s substantial completion date to June 1, 2025.
Blue Earth County’s drainage authority on May 6 set a repair hearing for County Ditch 25, approved a tree- and brush-clearing contract for Minneopa Creek and granted a construction extension for Judicial Ditch 15.
The board set the repair hearing date for County Ditch 25 for May 27, 2025. Staff said the County Ditch 25 watershed covers roughly 1,700 acres and includes both open ditch and subsurface tile; staff and consulting engineers developed a repair report after a landowner informational meeting on Feb. 19.
For Minneopa Creek the drainage authority reviewed three estimates for tree and brush clearing and accepted the engineer’s recommendation to award the contract to Newnan Excavating LLC of Cary, Minnesota, for a lump-sum price of $18,491.60. Staff said the creek serves as the outlet for multiple drainage systems and that costs will be apportioned among affected drainage systems by benefited acres.
The board also approved Larson Contracting’s request to extend the substantial-completion date for Judicial Ditch 15 by 17 days, to June 1, 2025. Staff described unforeseen site conditions — poor soils, extra dewatering and additional granular and rock materials — and ISG (engineer) recommended the extension. Commissioners asked about planting windows and farmer fieldwork timing; staff said affected landowners had been contacted and were cooperative.
Nut graf: The drainage authority’s actions advance routine maintenance and repair steps across multiple ditch systems while balancing contractor schedules, on-the-ground conditions and agricultural-season timing.
Ending: Staff will notify affected landowners of hearing details for County Ditch 25, execute the Minneopa Creek contract with Newnan Excavating and manage construction schedule adjustments on Judicial Ditch 15 to minimize agricultural impacts where feasible.
