March 29, 2024

Public confusion still remains concerning CCRC’s future plans

There are still questions. What’s the plan going forward from here?

This was the consensus of public comment during Clarke County Reservoir’s (CCRC) meeting Thursday, Aug. 27.

“Again, the commission in July said they were going to continue to negotiate with landowners and try to purchase land within the existing project,” said Dave Beck, project coordinator.

However, there was more questioning on what happens when the CCRC gets to a landowner who doesn’t want to sell and “cries eminent domain.”

“I think that’s something the commission needs to consider when we get there,” Beck said. “That’s kind of what they were advised last month and discussed last month. Then, they have some tough decisions to make. In the meantime, like I said, we’re working with our engineers to look at a possible alternative, and all.”

CCRC board members cautioned the public the reservoir project is a slow process, and the meetings are always open to the public.

The project

CCRC is in the process of building a reservoir project located in northwest Clarke County, also known as the Squaw Creek Watershed.

The reservoir is to provide a water supply for Osceola and Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA) with an 816-acre lake, which could provide 2.2 million gallons of water per day.

West Lake, the current water source, doesn’t meet the needs of Clarke County and SIRWA.

However, there have been many legislative setbacks, including the most recent one from July.

CCRC is dealing with a change in Iowa law on eminent domain, which created language that changed the law on use of eminent domain for the creation of public water supply surface water reservoirs throughout the state.

Eminent domain is the government’s power to take private property for public use by a state.

However, this doesn’t stop the CCRC from purchasing land from willing sellers in the project area, which is currently going on.

During the Aug. 27 meeting, the commission approved offers to buy real estate from:

• George McDannell North

• George McDannell South

• High Prairie Farms

Engineering task order

As for more current progress from CCRC, the board is working to comply with an engineering task order. A presentation was made during the meeting.

The task order pertains to an agreement between CCRC and HDR Engineering, in relation to the hydrology and hydraulics for a reduced size pool at dam site 4B in the project area.

The project description is it will evaluate the maximum size of a normal pool that can feasibly be developed with top of dam elevation at a contour that extends up to 180th Avenue and Osage Street.

The water supply withdrawal capacity based on a one in 50 year drought or the extreme drought of record, with consideration of multiple year droughts as required by IDNR standards will be calculated.

The project will estimate the volume of storage available and the withdrawal capacity for the municipal water supply remaining after accounting for projected sediment accumulation for the design life and the flood storage volume needed to route the design floods through the proposed reservoir with embankment located at site 4B along the realigned Truro Pavement county road without exceeding the allowable upstream water surface elevation that extends up to 180th Avenue and Osage Street.

The CCRC unanimously approved the task order.

HDR Engineering proposed to have a report submitted for review to CCRC by November.

“I think that gave us all a better idea and it gives me satisfaction that we’re following those standards,” said CCRC board member Sandy Kale.