More dam discussion gets testy at HCCB meeting
A late fall sunset seen on the Des Moines River near the boat ramp in Lower Sheldon Park in Humboldt. Humboldt Independent photo by Kent Thompson.
BY APRIL KELLEY
The Reasoner Dam on the Des Moines River in Humboldt remained a hot topic of conversation late Monday afternoon at the monthly meeting of the Humboldt County Conservation Board. The meeting was moved from the regular meeting date to Nov. 13.
Conservation Director Todd Lee said the Conservation Board has been working with attorneys Ahlers and Cooney in Des Moines to get legal advice.
County Supervisors Dave Lee and Bruce Reimers reported that they had attended a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 7 in Des Moines with majority leader of the Iowa Senate, Jack Whitver. Also in attendance were Nate Hoogeveen with the Iowa DNR, along with two other employees of the DNR and a representative from Destination Iowa. Bret Harklau from Humboldt also attended the meeting.
“A lot of it came back towards the end of the meeting saying, you got the conservation board, you got the river board, you got Todd and supervisors in the middle. You are getting farther and farther apart,” D. Lee said.
He continued, “They said we want to see the boards together, your board (conservation) the river board, get them together, get them to make a plan and get something done.”
D. Lee then told the board that the members they met with in Des Moines said there is money available through Destination Iowa, Trails, and other sources.
The Humboldt City Council voted against approving an application for Destination Iowa funds in October 2022, because the proposal would include elements of option 2, lowering the profile of the Reasoner Dam. The Humboldt River Restoration group want the dam maintained at its current elevation.
The group discussed several issues.
“They said get a plan for the whole thing. Start to finish. What you want to do to is completely prepare that whole dam to make it safe. Itemize what you want to do across it,” D. Lee said.
He then said that once a total plan was put in place, then both boards need to work together to raise money and repair the dam one part at a time.
The Conservation Board said they would let the River Restoration Group know when they have a legal opinion from Ahlers and Cooney.
Read more about this story in this week's Humboldt Independent.
