James River levy breach near Tacoma Park needs to be repaired by Brown County
A breach on a James River levy near Tacoma Park will need to be addressed, but water levels will need to recede first.
Brown County Highway Superintendent Dirk Rogers gave county commissioners an update about the levy breach at Tuesday's regular meeting at the courthouse.
Rogers said responsibility for the levy, which is in the James River, was given to the county in 1918, but repairs will take time. The first steps are stopping the water, then upgrading the dike and installing some riprap in the fall.
The levy is near the gates for Putney Slough. Rogers said a railroad line also runs near the area and ensuring its safety is important.
He also said that design work continues on a 1 1/2-mile road that will provide access to the west side of Elm Lake. He expects bid advertisements to go out in the next two weeks. State funding is covering the cost of the road construction, he said.
In other action:
The county took no action on a request from DemKota Ranch Beef to drain treated water from its west lagoon into Moccasin Creek. Commission Chairman Duane Sutton said the county doesn't have jurisdiction to approve or deny the request since the beef processing plant is seeking permission to drain into Moccasin Creek via a township road ditch.
Discussion about a disaster declaration resulting from the May 12 storm was removed from the commission agenda at the beginning of the meeting. Sutton said the electric company that made the request did not have power lines in Brown County.
Commissioners learned that temporary drop box for used American flags has been set up in the Brown County Courthouse Annex, 25 Market St.
This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Brown County to address levy breach on James River near putney slough
