(Spirit Lake)– A joint meeting between the Dickinson county board of supervisors and the Milford city council over the Lower Gar outlet issue drew more than a hundred people to the Dickinson County Community Building Monday evening.
The two entities have been at odds for years over the issue. The county recently hired an engineering firm to draw up plans and specifications to put in three additional box culverts to increase outflow capacity at the outlet. They site a Corps of Engineers report that says the lower chain of lakes is still prone to flooding similar to that of 1993. The report recommends something be done to increase the outflow.
The supervisors also site a letter the county received from the DNR regarding the increase grade of 230th Avenue back in 1988. That road passes over the outlet structure.
The proposal for additional outflow is drawing opposition from those who live on the lower chain of lakes. They fear it would make them dangerously low during times of low water.
The city of Milford is concerned over the potential for liability if there would be flooding downstream. The city has partial jurisdiction over the outlet.
The Okoboji Protective Association has been actively urging the supervisors to move forward with the project, saying ongoing high water on West Lake Okoboji is washing valuable shoreline into the lake.
One person who spoke at Monday’s meeting questioned whether funding pledged for the project by the D.O.T years ago is still available…siting state budget cuts. The agency had pledged 100-thousand dollars toward the project with the stipulation it be done by 2010.
Jim Blum, a licensed land surveyor, offered a compromise at Monday’s meeting. Blum said he’s reviewed the various Corps reports and is recommending two, not three culverts be put in with stop logs put in the existing culverts at the six inch level. He says that should maintain ideal lake levels even in times of low water.
Whether or not Blum’s proposal is physically possible given the road profile and other issues wasn’t immediately certain.
While no compromise was reached Monday night between the two sides, there did seem to be a concensus to meet again in the near future with represetatives of the DNR and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Supervisor Mardi Allen said they had attempted to set up a meeting with Corps officials recently, but she said Corps representatives were busy with the flooding in North Dakota and weren’t available.
At their meeting today (Tuesday), the supervisors indicated they want to meet as a full board with the Milford city council prior to a meeting with DNR and Corps officials to see if some sort of compromise can be reached. They’re requesting to be on the council’s agenda for their next regular meeting this coming Monday.
Meanwhile, the county is to be presented with an engineer’s report on the proposed culvert project in mid-June.
Copies of the corps reports and other documents county officials have been referring to on the matter can be found at www.co.dickinson.ia.us
