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June 2010 Minutes

Sterling, Colorado, June 8, 2010

MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Directors of The North Sterling Irrigation District held at their office in Sterling at 12:30 P.M., June 8th, 2010.

Directors David Hernandez, David Breidenbach, James Aranci, Secretary James Yahn, and Leon Rose were present.

Those present immediately left the District’s office for lunch and arrived back at the office at 1:30 P.M.

Minutes of the Board meeting held May 7th, 2010 were approved as received.

Expense for the month of May was allowed in the total amount of $91,301.08 and ordered paid as shown on sheets attached to and made a part of these minutes by due action of the Board, all Directors present voting aye.

The Secretary Yahn gave the Directors an update of the legal activity.  Mr. Yahn stated a revised decree and rebuttal engineering report was received from Upper Platte and Beaver and a rebuttal engineering report was received from Lower Platte and Beaver.  There was no activity in the Pinneo case.

Secretary Yahn updated the board on the progress of the spillway project.  Mr. Yahn stated that the contractor was continuing to work on the boat ramp access road.  Rain, however, has been making construction of the road difficult.  Mr. Yahn stated that he would be requesting funds from the State for engineering and construction work done on the access road project to date.

Mr. Yahn stated that he spoke with Charles Hix of Hix Insurance to determine if charging for subcontractor hire was common.  Mr. Hix stated that his insurance program does not charge for subcontractor hire.  Mr. Hix also stated that if it is the desire of the board, he would put together a quote for insurance. Mr. Yahn also stated that he failed to communicate to office secretary Vickie Smith to hold the insurance check from last month subcontractor hire invoice as a result of the audit by the insurance company, therefore the check for $7,026 was sent out and has cleared.  Mr. Yahn stated that an additional invoice for $3,085 was received from the insurance company for subcontractor work for this year.  It was the consensus of the board to have Mr. Hix provide the board with a quote and not to pay the $3,085.

Mr. Yahn reported that an offer was received for approximately 10 acres of the land surrounding Duncan Pit.  The offer was for $30,000 with the stipulation that a subdivision exemption and survey would be completed as well as well permit for a domestic use well would be obtained.  It was moved by Director Aranci and seconded by Director Breidenbach to accept the offer with the stipulations.  Upon being put to a vote the motion passed.

Secretary Yahn brought before the board a request by Dave Lebsock to receive water from the North Sterling Inlet Canal at a recharge pond that he would create near our canal, west of Sterling.  After much discussion, it was the consensus of the board to deny Mr. Lebsock’s request due primarily to the pond’s proximity to subdivisions northwest of Sterling.

Mr. Yahn brought before the board a request by Two Mile Ranch to use recharge credits from the North Sterling Augmentation Plan for their commercial feedlot.  Two mile ranch, a landowner within the District, is submitting their own substitute water supply plan and water court application.  As part of their supply plan a

water court application they are requesting to list North Sterling as the source of water.  It was moved by Director Breidenbach and seconded by Director Aranci to allow Two Mile Ranch to use North Sterling as the source.  Upon being put to a vote the motion passed.

Secretary Yahn brought before the board the matter of ordering chemical for the control of algae and submersed aquatic weeds.  Mr. Yahn stated that the manufacturers of Teton and Cascade had agreed to make an application of Teton for algae control in our outlet canal as part of a trial.  Mr. Yahn stated that he would also recommend the purchase of Cascade for sago pond weed control and copper sulfate for algae control.  It was the consensus of the Board to purchase enough Cascade for one treatment and to purchase copper sulfate for algae control.

Mr. Yahn stated that the Water Coop had met with most of the ditch companies, irrigation districts, and augmentation groups from Kersey to the State line with predominately a positive response to the idea.  Mr. Yahn stated that the next step was to obtain additional grant funds from the roundtable process and the up coming Alternative to Ag Dry up Grant Program (AADGP).  The AADGP requires matching funds, therefore, the steering committee of the coop is requesting that interested entities contribute the matching funds.  After some discussion the item was tabled until the July 8 meeting.

Secretary Yahn reported that currently the reservoir is at a gauge height of 87.00, which is a storage of 72,583 acre feet, 170 cfs is being released to the outlet canal for direct flow irrigation to satisfy 124.75 cfs of orders, and 197 cfs is currently being diverted in the inlet canal for direct flow and recharge.  Mr. Yahn stated that, to date, 11,310 acre-feet have been delivered on a director flow basis.  Mr. Yahn also stated that there is currently 5,560 cfs in the river at Kersey and 2,100 cfs at Balzac.

With no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 2:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

James T. Yahn, Secretary

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