NEBRASKA CITY – Otoe County commissioners are considering an agreement with the Nemaha NRD regarding a rebuild of the Johnson Dam on Road 60 about two miles south of the Cass County line.

Roads Supervisor Brian Briley said the Nemaha Natural Resources District has informed him the road/dam needs to be re-done but has only provided a cost estimate between $100,000 and $300,000.

The county is responsible for 25 percent of costs under the 30-year-old agreement.

Board Chairman Jerad Sornson said the county should offer to pay its share of engineering for $7,500 and see how much the work will cost before making a decision.

Sornson: “When the estimate comes back, we can get out of the agreement or we can put tubes in and drain it. We’ll figure it out at that time.”

He said if it’s reasonable to fix, the county would want to preserve the existing three-acre pond.

Briley said replacing the dam with drainage tubes would not affect any other county roads downstream.