Notice to proceed at Lower Gar set for Sunday, task force expects little local impact

Photo by Randy M. Cauthron Dick Taylor, Operations Project manager (left in plaid shirt) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers out of Omaha, Neb., meets with contractors and area officials at the site of the proposed Lower Gar breach. [Order this photo]

Dick Taylor, Operations Project manager (left in plaid shirt) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers out of Omaha, Neb., meets with contractors and area officials at the site of the proposed Lower Gar breach.

Contractor Soukup Construction out of Sioux Falls was selected Thursday evening to excavate the breach on Lower Gar near Milford. Souklup, which entered a bid of $69,000, beat out two other contractors -- one from Minnesota and one from Sioux City.

Lower Gar neighbors, who congregated near the site while contractors took measurements and gathered information prior to the 5 p.m. bid deadline on Thursday, seemed certain that no local contractors would submit bids on the project for fear of possible business repercussions.

"The intent right now is to issue notice to proceed Sunday," said Dick Taylor, Operations Project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He anticipates that work will begin on Monday.

"We had a conference call with the state, the county and all interested parties...The biggest difference, as we said before, would be a tenth-of-a-foot depending on where you're at downstream.

"That's why we're delaying the release notice until Sunday, because we're waiting for the peaks to pass."

Taylor indicated that the state was sent information Friday morning regarding the breach and potential discharge to send to impacted county emergency management personnel.

The 2010 Spencer/Clay County Flood Task Force has had a discussion with the U.S. Corps of Engineers regarding the potential effects of a proposed breach of Lower Gar. Members of the task force voiced concerns regarding the anticipated breach, and the possible effects it could have on already high water levels in Clay County and the city of Spencer.

"The Corps of Engineers assured us that they are reviewing their calculations and that the process will not begin until a complete review has been completed. They have further stated that no breach will take place until the Little Sioux River has crested and begun to recede," said Eric Tigges, Clay County Emergency Management coordinator.

Tigges confirmed that at this time, the study is showing that there will be no significant impact on the downstream areas of the Little Sioux River.