Local contractor proposes drainage work on District 84; supervisors note DNR notification and insurance requirements

A contractor identified only as Adam met with supervisors to discuss work on an outlet serving Drainage District 84. Adam said he purchased a John Deere machine with ditching and tooth buckets and sought to perform excavation and clearing work to address a long-standing drainage problem.

Supervisors and staff asked about Adam’s experience, equipment, insurance and coordination with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Adam said he had appropriate insurance and expected his agent to forward paperwork to county staff; supervisors asked him to confirm that the county had received the documentation. Officials advised Adam not to bulldoze on the DNR side and to avoid routes the county and DNR would not allow, and staff said the DNR requires notification before work begins.

The contractor estimated a modest cost and noted obstacles such as willows, trees and navigating from the river level; he and supervisors discussed using a skid loader and grapple forks to remove logs and described the need to identify safe entry points. County staff advised Adam to take extensive photos before, during and after the work so the county could document conditions for any future claims.

Supervisors and staff agreed the timing should be when ground conditions are drier; Adam said he would start once conditions warm and would coordinate pre-work notifications and paperwork with county staff and the DNR.