PHELPS MILL FISH PASSAGE_ pdf

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1 From: Fullhart, Howard (DNR) Sent: Friday, June 16, :39 PM To: Chuck Grotte; Cc: Rick West Subject: RE: I sent to County Commisioners on 6/9/2017 Attachments: PHELPS MILL FISH PASSAGE_ pdf Good afternoon Paul and Laurie, Thank you for attending the May 8 th, open house in regards to the Phelps Mill Dam. We appreciate when individuals take the time to inform themselves, while also bringing forth concerns for projects such as this. In the end we hope this project can be a benefit to local property owners, Friends for Phelps Mill, OtterTail County, MNDNR, and USFWS. Below I copied your questions/concerns and will do my best to answer them. Attached is an updated rock arch rapids concept/design provide by Houston Engineering Inc. As you can see in the new concept, it shows the access to the western most part of the OtterTail River, which is also the access to Leon Lake. Remember these are only concepts now and any final product would be thoroughly designed and modeled by Engineers and Hydrologist hired to provide their expertise and services. Our job as biologists are to work with the expertise so that our goals are accomplished. So this particular concept if it was accepted and was to move forward is going to need to maintain current water levels above and below the rock arch rapids, help provide some form of protection to the Mill Structure, provide fish passage to both large and small fish species, allow for a 14 foot boat to access the OtterTail River from Leon Lake, and reduce the hazards of a dam to recreational users. Addressing your first concern, if you look at the attached concept, the portion of river on the West side of the berm (connects to Leon Lake) would have its water level controlled by the remaining bay of the dam that didn t get removed. Not sure if a new control structure would be constructed or the existing bay would be modified so that water levels can be maintained at present levels. There shouldn t be any noticeable change from present water level conditions. Again to reiterate, your concern about a mistake. A project such as this, isn t something that once completed we just walk away from. It will be constantly monitored and if any tweak or modification needs to be addressed, it will be done in a timely manner. Your second concern about water levels and potential dredging for river access. You should not notice any change from current conditions. The river would still operate at run of the river and the West side of the berm would have a structure to control water levels. Again not sure how it will completely be designed as that is not my expertise or background but it might be that you have better access to the river due to the fact that the west side of the berm has the potential to maintain a higher water head than the East side. So no dredging is needed nor would we want to disturb or remove sediment or vegetation that is currently there. I hope that addresses your concerns. If you have any further questions I would be more than happy to try and answer them. Thanks again and have a good weekend. My MAIN concern is the possible effect on the water elevation of "my lake!" I did ask the question - but the group did not allow it to be answered fully... the presenters stated that the planned alterations would NOT affect the elevation of the river "at the top," nor would it affect the elevation of Lake Leon. My question was... "I understand the plan would not affect the elevation - but WHAT IF there was a "mistake" and the plan did not work as planned? A change of even a foot or two would affect my site GREATLY!" 1

2 My second concern is that this plan my affect my access to the river. As it stands - I can access the river with my small fishing boat and canoe. I was HAPPY that the plan does allow for that to continue... but, unless the "bay" that is created was "DREDGED," it would be EXTREMELY shallow. So - I hope that is planned for. From: Chuck Grotte [mailto:cgrotte@co.ottertail.mn.us] Sent: Monday, June 12, :25 AM To: Fullhart, Howard (DNR) <howard.fullhart@state.mn.us> Cc: Rick West <rwest@co.ottertail.mn.us> Subject: FW: I sent to County Commisioners on 6/9/2017 Howard Please respond to Paul and Laurie s questions below. Thanks, Chuck Charles H. Grotte, P.E. Assistant County Engineer Otter Tail County 505 South Court Street, Suite 1 Fergus Falls, MN (218) (218) fax From: Chuck Grotte Sent: Monday, June 12, :18 AM To: 'Paul Lekang' Cc: Rick West Subject: RE: I sent to County Commisioners on 6/9/2017 Paul and Laurie Thanks for your interest. I will forward your questions to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources so that they can provide responses. As for the website, it was approved by the County Board last week. We are in the process of developing the website. So far it is just an outline of the items that will be included. Over the next few days we hope to add information to these various headings. The question and answer portion of the website will not be a live section, but will include questions that we receive and the responses to those questions. So please bear with us as we get things added and get responses to your concerns. Thanks, Chuck Charles H. Grotte, P.E. Assistant County Engineer 2

3 Otter Tail County 505 South Court Street, Suite 1 Fergus Falls, MN (218) (218) fax From: Paul Lekang [mailto:paul.lekang@yahoo.com] Sent: Sunday, June 11, :33 PM To: Chuck Grotte Subject: I sent to County Commisioners on 6/9/2017 Hello, My wife and I live on Lake Leon and we were at the community "open discussion" a while back. It was a good presentation and the possible options were explained fairly well. I cannot say that I am "for" the alteration - but I can understand the possible benefits. My MAIN concern is the possible effect on the water elevation of "my lake!" I did ask the question - but the group did not allow it to be answered fully... the presenters stated that the planned alterations would NOT affect the elevation of the river "at the top," nor would it affect the elevation of Lake Leon. My question was... "I understand the plan would not affect the elevation - but WHAT IF there was a "mistake" and the plan did not work as planned? A change of even a foot or two would affect my site GREATLY!" My second concern is that this plan my affect my access to the river. As it stands - I can access the river with my small fishing boat and canoe. I was HAPPY that the plan does allow for that to continue... but, unless the "bay" that is created was "DREDGED," it would be EXTREMELY shallow. So - I hope that is planned for. At the end of the presentation you said that a web page would be created so that the public could post comments and so we would be informed along the process. Has that page been created? If so - could you please send me the link? (Since sending this I did find the following website - but I cannot see how comments and questions can be added? Thank you very much for any information you can share. I know, in many ways, your job is thankless... but I want you to know that *I* DO appreciate your hard work. And, in the past, you've worked very hard/fast to resolve a specific issue I had! So, again, THANK YOU! Sincerely, 3

4 Paul and Laurie Lekang County Highway 45 Underwood, MN (701) Paul 4

5 H:\Fargo\JBN\5100\5197\ Phelps Mill\CAD\Plans\Concept Plan and Profile.dwg-Layout1-6/1/ :46 PM-(shanson) WEST PIER TO BE REMOVED RESHAPE EXISTING RIPRAP TO FIT ROCK RAMP TOE OF PROPOSED BERM TOP OF PROPOSED BERM EAST PIER TO REMAIN EXISTING FLUME SPILLWAY TO REMAIN PROPOSED BERM TOP PVIS: PVIE: PVIS: PVIE: % 25.00% 25.00% 0.00% PVIS: PVIE: PVIS: PVIE: % -3.00% -3.00% 0.00% STA:12+20 STA:12+45 PVIS: PVIE: EXISTING CHANNEL PROFILE STA:12+69 STA:12+94 STA:13+18 PROPOSED BERM STA:13+43 STA:13+67 STA:13+91 STA:14+16 STA:14+39 STA:14+64 STA:14+89 STA:15+12 PVIS: PVIE: STA:15+37 PVIS: PVIE: % PVIS: PVIE: LEON LAKE INGRESS / EGRESS No. Revision Date By Drawn by Date SMH Checked by Scale PHELPS MILL FISH PASSAGE OTTER TAIL COUNTY FERGUS FALLS, MINNESOTA CONCEPTUAL PLAN AND PROFILE SHEET PROJECT NO TME AS SHOWN 3 of 3 PVIS: PVIE: PVIS: PVIE: PVIS: PVIS: PVIS: INGRESS / EGRESS 20 Scale Feet Fargo Houston Engineering Inc. P: F: N LEON LAKE