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Date
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September
22, 2008
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Agenda
Item No. 25 Roll
Call No. 08- Communication No.
08-577 Submitted by:
Jeb E. Brewer, P.E., City Engineer |
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AGENDA HEADING:
Authorization
to submit a grant application to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Emergency
Watershed Protection Program.
SYNOPSIS:
Recommend
approval of authorizing the City Manager to execute and submit an application
for funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation
Service, Emergency Watershed Protection program for soil erosion prevention and
repair projects related to the 2008 heavy rains and flooding. The City’s role is to act as a governmental
sponsor as required by the Emergency Watershed Protection program for soil
erosion prevention and repair projects located at 1235 Davis Avenue and at
1624, 1706 and 1712 Pennsylvania Avenue in Des Moines. The application for funding is authorized
subject to obtaining agreements with the property owners, as approved by the City’s
Engineering, Public Works and Legal Departments, for expense reimbursement and operation
and maintenance of the project repairs.
Grant approval by the Natural Resources Conservation Service is
dependent on available funds and project benefits.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Amount:
N/A
Funding
Source: Proposed agreements with impacted property
owners have the property owners providing the required 25% program match.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) operates the Emergency Watershed
Protection (EWP) Program, with the stated purpose of undertaking “emergency
measures for soil erosion prevention to safeguard lives and property from
floods, drought, and the products of erosion on any watershed whenever fire,
flood or any other natural occurrence is causing or has caused a sudden
impairment of the watershed.”
During and subsequent to the heavy rains and
flooding of the Des Moines River in June 2008, severe soil erosion and landslides
occurred at the properties located at 1235 Davis Avenue and at 1624, 1706 and
1712 Pennsylvania Avenue. The
In mid-August 2008, representatives of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
met with the City Engineer, Public Works Director, and other City staff to
discuss potential funding options through the EWP program for soil erosion
prevention and repair projects for these properties. City staff has since met with the NRCS
representatives at the property sites to assess the damage and repair options
for each site, including the construction of a retaining wall or a property
buy-out (including relocation and demolition) for the 1235 Davis Avenue
property, and removal and replacement of a garage and lime stabilization or
other soil erosion prevention methods for the Pennsylvania Avenue properties.
The City’s role in the EWP program is to apply as a
governmental sponsor for the prevention and repair projects. Upon approval of the City’s application, the
EWP program will fund seventy-five percent (75%) of the project costs. The Engineering, Public Works and Legal
Departments are currently working with the property owners on agreements in
which the property owners will assume the responsibility and liability for
operation and maintenance of project repairs, and agree to incur all or the
majority of the remaining project costs. The City’s application for and participation
in the EWP program is to be approved by Council subject to and contingent upon
obtaining agreements with the property owners that are acceptable to the
Engineering, Public Works and Legal Departments.
The
application deadline for the EWP program is sixty (60) days from the end date
of the disaster event, as declared by the USDA.
The application must be submitted by the second (2nd) week in
October to satisfy the deadline.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S): NONE
BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): NONE
ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:
Engineering, Public Works and Legal Department will
work with the property owners to finalize agreements regarding operation and
maintenance and cost-sharing for the EWP projects; City Manager will execute
and submit the application to the USDA; City staff will work with NRCS agents
and property owners during planning and construction of the project repairs. The final grant will be presented to Council
for consideration.
For more information on this and other agenda items,
please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office
on the second floor of City Hall,