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Cass County water districts report channel repairs, diversion connections and Sheldon neighborhood flood work
Summary
Water Resource District staff updated the Cass County Board on active drain repairs, diversion-connected transition projects, a state increase in cost-share funding and a ring-levee project for the Sheldon Addition that will go to construction this summer.
Cass County Water Resource District staff reported ongoing construction and planned projects across the county, including channel and slide repairs, diversion-related drain transitions and an awarded flood-protection contract for the Sheldon Addition.
The update described active work on Drain 10 near Twelfth Avenue, slide repairs on Drain 21 near the highway department, channel work on Fortieth Avenue and a concrete channel liner planned in Horace to finish before further residential development. Staff said mitigation work is under way at the Lehi head dam on the Wild Rice and Maple rivers to reduce a roller effect created by the dam.
Maple District staff reported a state increase in drainage cost-share from 45% to 60%, which county staff said will make more projects financially feasible. Staff also described a stalled Davenport project tied to an outstanding operations-and-maintenance agreement with BNSF Railway and ongoing negotiation to resolve that issue.
Rush River and other districts are advancing several drain transition projects tied to the county diversion channel; staff said Drain 30 is in final construction and the lower Rush connection is expected to reach the diversion outlet in July if schedules hold. County staff described coordination with the highway department to replace bridges and perform channel work on the Rush River; those bridge projects are being planned to qualify for state cost-share.
North Cass district work includes an erosion study on Drain 13 and design for slide repairs on Drain 42 east of County Road 31. County staff said the Cass County joint project continues to acquire property rights for the diversion project and is developing an emergency action plan for Maple River Dam.
The report singled out the Sheldon flood-protection project — a ring levee around the Sheldon Addition — as awarded to a contractor and scheduled for construction this summer with completion expected by year end. Staff said that project proceeded after a property-owner vote in favor of the improvement.
Budget items were discussed: staff said the water resource districts are not planning major levy increases overall, that several smaller boards will remain at about a 4-mill levy while others are near 1–2 mills, and that maintenance levies will fluctuate based on facility needs. Staff said the districts will consider final budgets at June meetings and that 2024 audits are ongoing without unusual findings.
County staff also described volunteer litter pickups coordinated with Riverkeepers and outreach to homeowners on particular projects to keep residents informed.
Questions from commissioners addressed audit responsibility and the districts’ relationship to the county audit process. Staff said the state auditor’s office conducts the audits and that Southeast Cass is a component unit in the county audit.
