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Scott County approves $20,000 plan for critical maintenance on County Ditch 13 ahead of watershed transfer
Summary
County staff told commissioners they will pursue about $20,000 in spot maintenance on County Ditch 13 — removing in‑channel obstructions, spot cleaning and reseeding — with costs drawn from the ditch maintenance fund while a transfer to the Prior Lake–Spring Lake Watershed District proceeds.
Scott County commissioners approved a resolution to fund targeted maintenance on County Ditch 13 as the county and the Prior Lake–Spring Lake Watershed District complete a planned jurisdictional transfer.
Chris, a county staff presenter, told the board the county had asked the Scott Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) to inspect the ditch and recommend contracting work to remove in‑channel obstructions, perform spot cleaning, remove select trees and remove rock riprap at the 190th Street culvert inlet. "Andy has also recommended that anywhere that they remove an obstruction that they do some spot cleaning of around 30 to 50 feet on each side of the obstruction," Chris said during the meeting.
County staff narrowed an initial, broader estimate and reported a reduced cost estimate of about $20,000 for the critical obstruction work, focused on restoring channel flow and stabilizing disturbed areas with seed and mulch. The county is not expected to bill adjacent landowners directly for this work; commissioners were told the expense will be paid from a ditch maintenance fund established earlier this year (funding built from a previously recorded lean on participating properties), which will reduce the amount later transferred to the watershed district after the transfer occurs.
Officials said the Prior Lake–Spring Lake Watershed District is conducting engineering due diligence and that county staff expect a petition to transfer jurisdiction in roughly three to four months. A commissioner asked whether the transfer remained on schedule; staff said the watershed district’s administrator and the county attorney were coordinating on agreements and next steps.
A motion was made and the board adopted Resolution 2026‑127 by voice vote. The motion to adopt was moved by a speaker identified as Frame and seconded (second not specified on the record); the motion carried by voice vote.
Next steps: county staff will proceed with the limited obstruction work described, coordinate with the SWCD and the watershed district on timing, and charge the expense to the ditch maintenance fund so the eventual transfer to the watershed district reflects the reduced fund balance.
