1. Otter Tail County Drainage Ditches #5, #68 and #36
Presented by:
Kevin Fellbaum
Otter Tail County Ditch Inspector
September/29/2014

2. County Ditches #5, #68 and #37 Presentation
Drainage Authority Chair Comments
Introductions
Reason for Meeting
Ditch Proceedings
History
Photos
Questions and Comments

3. Drainage Authority Chair Comments
*Use microphone when you speak, Please speak Loud and Clear
*Please state your first and last name
*Be respectful to others
*2 minute time limit per opportunity to speak
*One opportunity to speak until all others have had a chance to speak

4. Introductions

5. Reason for Meeting
Discuss purpose of doing a Re-determination of Benefits and Ditch Combination
Input from Benefitted Property Owners on County Ditches 5, 68 and 36
After the Re-determination of Benefits a Combined Ditch will be created and a maintenance fund established for the Combined Ditch for any future maintenance that would need to be performed on the New Combined Ditch 5/68/36
General Discussion of the operation and maintenance of the Ditch

6. Ditch Proceedings
County Ditches are owned by all Benefitted Property Owners within that given Ditch System
County Ditches are controlled by the Drainage Authority (County Board)
County Ditches are inspected by the County Ditch Inspector (who reports information and issues of the Ditches to the Drainage Authority)
Ditch Viewers are appointed by the Drainage Authority to view and report how and which properties are affected by the in place Ditch System
Any costs associated with the Ditch system are the responsibility of All the Benefitted Property Owners.

7. Ditch Proceedings
By Minnesota State Statute 103E.351: Re-determination of Benefits
Subdivision 1: Conditions to Re-determine Benefits
If the Drainage Authority determines that the original benefits determined in the drainage proceeding do not reflect reasonable present day land values or that the benefited areas have changed, or if more than 50% of the property benefited by the drainage system petition for correction of an error that was made at the time of the proceedings that established the drainage system. The Drainage Authority may appoint three viewers to re-determine and report the benefits from the ditch and it’s benefited area.
Subdivision 2: Hearing and Procedure
A) The re-determination of benefits shall proceed as provided for viewers and the viewers report in sections 103E.311 and 103E.321 of the Statute
B)The Auditor must prepare a property owners’ report from the viewer’s report. A copy of the owners’ report must be mailed to each owner of property affected by the drainage system.
C) The drainage authority shall hold a final hearing on the report and confirm the benefits and damages and benefitted areas. The final hearing shall be held within 30 days after the property owners’ report is mailed.
Subdivision 3: Re-determined Benefits replace Original Benefits
The re-determined benefits and benefited areas must be used in place of the original benefits and benefited area in all subsequent proceedings relating to the drainage system.
Subdivision 4: Appeal
A person aggrieved by the re-determination of benefits and benefited area may appeal from the order confirming the benefits and benefited area under section 103E.091
*Note: Buffer Strips will be purchased and established according to section 103E.021

8. Ditch Proceedings
By Minnesota State Statute 103E.801: Consolidation of Ditches
Subdivision 1: Authority to Consolidate or Divide
After the Benefitted Area of a Drainage system has been determined, the Drainage Authority may consolidate two or more systems in order to provide more efficient administration of the system consistent with the determined benefitted area.
Subdivision 2: Initiation of Action
The consolidation may be initiated by the Drainage Authority on its own motion or by any party affected by the Drainage System by filing a petition with the County Auditor.
Subdivision 3: Hearing
When the Drainage Authority directs by resolution or a petition is filed with the County Auditor, the Drainage Authority will set a time and location for a public hearing. The Drainage Authority may consolidate Ditch Systems if they determine
1) it would be consistent with the re-determination of the benefitted area of the drainage system
2) it would provide for the efficient administration of the drainage system
3) it would be fair and equitable

9. Purpose
Figure out which properties are within the watershed and who owns them and how those properties are Benefitted by having an in-place County Ditch System
Re-determine the Benefits of the Ditch to match present day values (Current values are from (1902 to 1919) (Happening Countywide to all Ditches)
Combine 3 systems that are serving the same area into 1 Ditch (makes bookkeeping easier) (benefit of having 1 system is: financial load is split over more benefitted properties)
What type of maintenance or cleanings would the property owners like to see (cleaning the ditch will restore drainage to the area)

10. History Ditch #5 Established: June 8, 1903
Purpose: To drain away the overflow waters that by remaining upon the meadow and farming lands greatly lessen the farm products and also seriously endanger the public health
(From Original Petition for Ditch- May 10, 1902 )
Original Cost: $12, Original Benefit: $23,953.98
Events: 1985 a meeting was held on the possibility of reverting the land back into a lake as it was in 1900
Currently: Ditch 5 is an open channel Ditch. The Ditch is operational, but could use some maintenance to restore proper flow, including the removal of beaver dams, cleaning of culverts and the cleanout of sediment that has fallen into the channel. Currently for Ditch 5, the maintenance fund is at a value of $10,983.75

11. History Ditch #36 Established: January 10,1908
Purpose: So that large tracts of land would thereby be made productive and suitable for cultivation, and to remove stagnant water which endangers public health. (From Original Petition for Ditch- May 24, 1907)
Original Cost: $2, Original Benefit: $3,126.00
Course: Beginning at Stony Lake in Section 6 of Elmo Township, heading in a Northerly and Easterly direction until it crosses under the Soo Line Railway Corridor. It continues on from there heading in more of an Easterly Direction through lowland areas in Sections 32 and 33 of Inman Township until the ditch flows into Ditches 5/68 on the Eastern Line of Section 33 of Inman Township.
Events: 1985 a meeting was held on the possibility of reverting the land back into a lake as it was in 1900
Currently: Ditch 36 is an open channel Ditch. The Ditch is semi-operational, but could use some maintenance. Currently for Ditch 36, the maintenance fund is at a value of $00.00

12. History Ditch #68 Established: December 30,1919
Purpose: To drain away the overflow waters that by remaining upon the meadow and farming lands greatly lessen the farm products and also seriously endanger the public health
(From Original Petition for Ditch- November 25, 1919)
Original Cost: $43, Original Benefit: $60,413.00
Course: Has several branches within the Inman and Elmo Wildlife management area
Events: 1985 a meeting was held on the possibility of reverting the land back into a lake as it was in 1900
Currently: Ditch 68 is an open channel Ditch. The Ditch is operational, but could use some maintenance to restore proper flow, including the removal of beaver dams, cleaning of culverts and the cleanout of sediment that has fallen into the channel. Currently for Ditch 68, the maintenance fund is at a negative value of $3,661.11

13. Original Ditch Map

14. Ditch Photos
Snowmobile bridge in Henning, crossing Ditch at CSAH 67

15. Ditch Photos
Ditch, looking East from CSAH 67, Beaver Dam removed from this site this Spring (2014)
Beaver Dam Removed

16. Ditch Photos Ditch Channel looking South from State Hwy 210
Same Picture just zoomed in, can see
how big the channel is supposed to be
Compared to what it actually is

17. Ditch Photos
Culvert structure underneath State Hwy 210, material on apron restricting flow
Ditch flowing North of State Hwy 210

18. Ditch Photos Culvert structure on 525th Ave
Channel looking East from the above
Structure, ditch filled with growth

19. Ditch Photos
Ditch meandering through growth and downed branches

20. Ditch Photos
Channel in Section 20 of Inman Township, channel is full of water several feet deep with little to no flow taking place
Beaver Dam removed in same
section Fall of 2013, Dam was about 4
feet tall

21. Ditch Photos Channel Fall of 2013 Channel Fall of 2014
535th Ave crossing, very little flow happening
Channel Fall of Channel Fall of 2014

22. Ditch Photos Ditch 36 on the North Side of CSAH 134
Ditch 36 on the South Side of CSAH 134

23. Beaver Dams
Beaver Dams on the Ditch, some have been removed

24. Ditch Not Functioning
Ditches on Inman/Elmo Township Line Road, Difficult to access due to the water not able to flow out of the wetland in a timely manner

25. Questions and Comments