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Supervisors direct legal and engineering follow-up after culvert collapse restricts drainage toward West Okoboji Harbor
Summary
County engineers reported a collapsed/deteriorated 72-inch culvert and a constricted outflow under Highway 86 that is pinching drainage for Drainage District 45; the board directed county legal and engineering staff to pursue options, including letters to the harbor board and coordination with DNR/DOT.
County engineer staff and consultant Ivan Simpson of Bolton & Menk told the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors on April 14 that a 72-inch corrugated metal culvert under Trade Wind Drive and a concrete box culvert under Highway 86 have been damaged and partially blocked, creating a pronounced "pinch point" that reduces outflow area and causes repeated ponding across Drainage District 45.
Simpson described the configuration: the state-installed box culvert under Highway 86 provides roughly 25'.5 square feet of inlet area; downstream, a 72-inch corrugated pipe initially provides about 28 square feet but deteriorated sections and an area under a harbor boardwalk reduce flow to roughly 14'16 square feet at the worst points. Consultants and speakers warned those restrictions are pushing water back into highway ditches, pastures and low-lying properties and repeatedly flooding a nearby bike trail after heavy rains.
The board discussed the history of litigation. A past court proceeding found that development altered an historical easement and limited the county's responsibility, but several supervisors said prescriptive easement arguments and ongoing construction activity mean the drainage district still has an interest in resolving the issue. Speakers described years of temporary repairs ("spin casting" inside the culvert) that have not restored adequate capacity and said homeowners and county infrastructure are at risk.
After the presentation the board moved that the county attorney and county engineer pursue what legal and engineering steps are available to pressure the harbor and involved parties to complete a permanent fix. The motion referenced possible use of the county's authority under Iowa law to remove obstructions, coordination with the drainage district attorney, and letters to the harbor board and federal partners. The motion passed on voice vote.
The board directed staff to gather engineering calculations (some work by Cole Bullock was referenced) and to consult with Drainage Attorney Goodwin and state agencies as needed. Supervisors said they would return the issue to the board for formal next steps once county counsel and engineers report their findings.
Next steps: county legal and engineering staff to research statutory remedies, review prior court findings, request DOT/DNR analyses and prepare options for the board; staff will report back at a future meeting.
