Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Council authorizes levee stabilization project



DELANO, MN – A portion of the city’s levee was damaged last fall when a large tree fell, and Delano City Council authorized re-establishing the levee while the conditions are appropriate to complete the work.

Last year, high winds during a summer storm toppled a tree that was growing on the inside of the levee near the Delano American Legion, according to City Administrator Phil Kern.

When the tree fell, the root mass tore a large section out of the levee bank. Delano’s emergency management director Bob Van Lith told the council Tuesday night the project needs to be done in the next few weeks, while the river level is still low.

Van Lith said if the project was hired out, it would cost approximately $40,000 to complete the work. However, by keeping some of the work internal, he said that cost could be reduced to around $25,000.

To complete the project, a backhoe will be needed on the ice to replace “root ball” soil material to the bank, according to Kern. Soil material from the river bottom will also be placed along the levee wall. Once the material has been replaced, rip rap (large rocks) will placed on top of this section to prevent further erosion.

The council gave its approval to the project, and it is expected to take place in the near future.

This project will be funded from the public safety area of the city’s general fund budget.





























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