Steelville City Engineer Terris Cates and Project Engineer Jordan Kellerman provided aldermen with an update on Oct. 20 on studies and permit applications for work being done on the Yadkin Creek.

Last month, the aldermen directed Cates to apply for a five-year permit from the Army Corps of Engineers that would allow the city to dredge the creek as needed in order to abate yearly overflows along the flood-prone creek.

According to Cates, engineering studies on both the Spring Street Bridge, which was closed by MoDOT in May due to safety concerns, and Yadkin Creek low-water crossings on Industrial Drive, as well as the walking trail will be ready to present at the November board of aldermen meeting.

Kellerman said that he met with the Army Corps of Engineers to determine what exactly they’ll need in order to grant the five-year dredging permit that the city is seeking — a process that may take longer and be more costly than previously thought.

“I spoke with the Corps on what exactly we need to provide them to grant a permit application for dredging the Yadkin Creek. He seemed to think it was going to be quite a bit more than just signing off on the permit,” Kellerman said. “Because it is about a mile and a half long, and with the amount of material that we’re anticipating removing, he seemed to think they would want more design information.”

Kellerman proposed that his office draw up a “very quick and dirty site plan” in order to show the Army Corps of Engineers what work the city plans to do and how plans will change the shape and flow of the creek.

For the next step, according to Kellerman, the Army Corps of Engineers would have to make a jurisdictional determination to make sure that the Yadkin Creek is within its jurisdiction.

Then, the Corps would make at least one site inspection visit, for which the city would pay around $5,000 for a time and materials contract — a cost that could increase, according to Kellerman.

“So for that first phase, we’re hoping to make it a time and materials contract, not to exceed $5,000,” Kellerman said. “But what worries me is the amount of back and forth it’s going to take with the Corps to get them to at least tell us what we need to provide.”

The next phase of the application would involve actually fulfilling requirements set by the Corps, which could include potentially costly project proposals and design studies that determine factors like erosion and sediment deposit buildup and ensure that creek banks are protected.

Kellerman said that based on his discussion with the Corps, the final phase “could just be real quick and dirty as well, depending on what (the Corps) determines.”

Kellerman also provided updates on an application for a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant that would fund a running track at the Steelville Park and Community Recreation Area.

The city has asked the Steelville R-3 School District to help fund the grant, which would be matched by the LWCF. In exchange, the school district would be able to use the track at the park for school sporting activities and events instead of purchasing their own.

The application deadline for the grant is on Nov. 13.

Kellerman said he would like to submit it a week early to allow the Missouri Department of Natural Resources time to review the application and identify any missing information.

According to Kellerman, preparing the application would require coordination between the city school district, including gathering supporting documentation and obtaining any necessary environmental clearances.

Kellerman also proposed an hourly contract capped at $11,000 to hire a preparer for the application. He said the amount of documentation required and the potential complexity of environmental reviews involving cultural resources and endangered species is the type of thing “that can get out of hand quick.”

The St. James R-3 Board of Education had not yet provided a definitive answer on whether it intended to participate in the proposed project.

At their Oct. 15 board meeting, members discussed the possibility of participating in the grant, but did not come to a final decision on whether or not they would.

Steelville R-3 School District Superintendent Steven Vetter said the district would need to agree on a maintenance plan and firm project budget before committing, but could finalize those details after the grant is awarded.

The meeting discussion did not establish a final cost for any additional creek engineering work or confirm the school district’s participation in the park project.