Commission approves amendment to budget, scope of study to move water from Stutsman County
Apr. 17—JAMESTOWN — The Stutsman County Commission unanimously approved on Tuesday, April 15, an amendment to the total budget and scope of the feasibility study on how to move water from basins in western Stutsman County and Crystal Springs Lake.
The total budget of the study will increase by $40,000 from $222,000 to $262,000.
Houston Engineering will be able to move forward with more work for the feasibility study. Stutsman County won't need to commit any local dollars until a request for the additional $40,000 cost share is heard by the North Dakota State Water Commission.
Mike Gunsch, senior project manager with Houston Engineering, said the State Water Commission's final consideration of the $40,000 cost share will be in June. With State Water Commission approval, he said the Department of Water Resources share of the $40,000 cost would be $18,000 and Stutsman County's would be $22,000.
Gunsch said he will work with Jerry Bergquist, commission chairman, and Jessica Alonge, Stutsman County auditor/chief operating officer, on a request for the additional cost share to the State Water Commission.
Earlier this month, the county commission approved extending the completion date for the feasibility study to July 2025.
The feasibility study will show the benefits of removing excess waters, how much of the 250-square-mile watershed is contributing to flooding, regulatory issues, alternative options to remove water and the cost to remove the excess water.
The study will also help determine what the cost is to move water in different directions. The county is looking to move water to the west to the Missouri River, north to Wells County where Pipestem Creek and the James River originate, or east from Crystal Lakes toward Pipestem Creek and James River.
The largest increase to the feasibility study is $29,500 for a groundwater influence review, according to a document for Houston Engineering's scope of services.
"The Crystal Springs Watershed Initiative Feasibility Study process has identified that this lake complex is expanding, and water surface elevations are increasing beyond that which can be explained by only surface water inflows," the document says. "The additional services in this phase include evaluating available groundwater data to determine, to the extent reasonably practical, groundwater contributions to the lake system and their impact on water levels. The purpose is to determine the volume and rate of surface and groundwater pump system removal necessary to stabilize lake elevations by removing excess floodwaters to control the future lake elevations to prevent flood damages. A general projection as to inflow rates and volumes will be determined."
In related business, the county commission will send a letter to the Kidder County Commission to address concerns about a potential future project to move water from Stutsman County.
Bergquist said the Kidder County Commission was concerned about the project to move water harming Kidder County's infrastructure.
The letter to the Kidder County Commission says the process of the feasibility study has addressed a concern of the current path of the water through Kidder County creating a hardship on property owners with low land flooding.
"An evaluation of the outfall tributary in Kidder County will define downstream conditions and impacts," the letter says. "This work is currently ongoing and will be reported to the Steering Committee then shared with you."
The letter also addresses concerns of culverts not being able to handle the amount of water that will be released from Stutsman County.
"We have completed an inventory of the culverts downstream along the tributary and will be reviewing their condition and capacity," the letter says. "At this stage the projected releases remain to be defined, so any changes remain to be determined. However, given the anticipated range in flows we do not believe significant, roadway modifications will be required. The study will evaluate the existing conditions to document changes based on any system discharges and downstream improvements ... ."
In other business, Alonge said a joint special meeting of the Stutsman County Commission, Peterson Township supervisors and St. Paul Township supervisors is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, at the American Legion, 100 Water St. E, in Medina.
The agenda for the special meeting includes a discussion on project options and funding for Stutsman County Road 39 west of Medina.
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