Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Drainage Pumpstation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nicollet County authorizes repairs and new grate to protect County Ditch 86 pump station
Summary
The Nicollet County Board authorized Houston Engineering recommendations to reduce recurring pump damage at County Ditch 86, ordering alternatives including an 8x8 box‑culvert grate and structure cover to avoid annual pump removal after engineers warned pumps risk 'catastrophic' freezing damage.
Nicollet County commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 26 to implement engineering recommendations aimed at preventing recurring winter damage to the County Ditch 86 pump station. Staff presented two addenda from Houston Engineering outlining repairs and alternatives for long‑term protection of the pumping system.
Addendum 1 identified four near‑term repairs: abandoning a leaking overflow pipe, replacing an 84‑inch slide gate, building a post‑frame structure around the electrical control shed, and repairing erosion beneath discharge pipes. Engineers also relayed supplier warnings that leaving pumps in the chamber over winter risks “catastrophic” damage if ice forms around seals and props, creating cavitation or cracked housings.
Addendum 2 recommended an alternative to retrofitting the large slide gate: installing an 8x8 box‑culvert grate immediately ahead of the pump opening (leaving the 84‑inch slide gate in place). The gate and apron would reduce incoming water, block cold northwest winds, and significantly reduce—but not guarantee elimination of—water intrusion into the chamber. Engineers told the board no grate will seal 100 percent but that a properly installed box cover would materially lower ongoing operating costs by reducing the need for annual pump removal.
Landowners at the drainage authority meeting urged caution about new work and its timing. One landowner suggested flooding the chamber over winter or securing floats to protect pumps and warned about the political fallout when annual pump‑pulling costs become apparent. Engineers said the new box‑culvert gate had not been operated previously and could not be guaranteed to never freeze; they also supplied a technical clarification that the bottom of the pumping chamber sits roughly 24 feet below top slab grade and the box‑culvert invert is about 6 feet below that.
After discussing construction timing and ongoing outreach to landowners, the board authorized implementation of addendums 1 and 2 and directed staff to continue sharing landowner concerns with Houston Engineering. Commissioners signaled intent to advance urgent electrical‑shed and safety work while scheduling other components to avoid winter conditions when feasible.
Next steps: staff will coordinate final plans and specifications with Houston Engineering, begin bid preparation, and inform landowners about timing and any operational impacts during construction.
