Loup Generator - Summer2019

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
‘It won’t happen overnight’
Rebuilding Headworks will take several years
Many people around Nebraska continue
to be in awe at the destruction caused by the
mid-March storm event (or bomb cyclone).
From the damage at Nebraska Public Power
District’s Spencer Dam, to road damage on
Dodge Street in Omaha, to the bridges that
were damaged near Schuyler, Monroe and
Genoa, to the levees that were breached
along the Missouri River, to all the sand that
has been deposited outside of the river beds
throughout Nebraska — the damage caused
by this one event will be felt for many years
by the people throughout Nebraska.
Obviously the Loup Power District was
affected by this storm. The District saw
damages to (1) the substations in St. Edward,
Cedar Rapids and the sand plant south and
by NEAL SUESS
President/CEO
The District is in the process of finalizing
the temporary design repair drawings and
submitting them to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) which has
oversight of this project.
The District will be designing permanent
canal repairs to assist with future storm
events. The District is also in the process
of finalizing the root cause analysis for the
damages. This report indicates the level
of water and debris that was contained
in the Loup River during the storm event
was beyond any design capabilities of the
Headworks and Canal system.
For the near future, especially through the
summer, fall and winter months, the entirety
of the Headworks will be closed off to the
west of Genoa, (2) subtransmission and distribution
lines near the Headworks and south and west of
Columbus, and (3) the obvious breaches and damage to
the Canal system near the Headworks, as well as damage
in the Tailrace section of the Canal, south and east of
Columbus.
District employees and contractors continue to
work on all of these, but I want to focus mostly on the
Headworks and Canal repairs for this article.
The District continues to work to seal up the breaches
that occurred along the Canal, south and west of Genoa.
The breaches have been sealed up enough to allow the
District to bring a certain amount of water into the
Canal; however, this amount is far below that for normal
operation and will continue in this manner for some
time, probably through the end of 2020.
As the District starts to get into more temporary
and permanent repairs, we expect water levels in the
Canal to fluctuate, in order to manage and complete the
repairs.
public for recreation purposes.
With the construction activity ongoing and the heavy
equipment being used to move sand, dirt and gravel
from one area to another, it is too dangerous to open
any of these areas to the public. We realize this creates
some inconveniences. However, the public safety is too
great of a concern to allow these areas to open. The
District will let everyone know when it is safe to use
these areas again.
We want everyone to know we are working as quickly
as possible to make the repairs to all of our systems and
get back to normal operation. This will be a process that
will last many months and take several years. It will not
happen overnight.
The District appreciates everyone’s patience, prayers,
thoughts and ideas. We know that we are part of your
communities and we plan to be in your communities for
a very long time.
Continue to look at the District’s website and social
media outlets for updated information.
SUMMER 2019 3