Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact our office at (641) 774-4013 x6.

Contact our office at (641) 774-4013 x6 for approved supplier names and numbers and our dust control policy and permit application.

You do not have to own the property. But you do need to notify the property owner of the location where dust control is being placed.

Flags are supplied by your dust control provider or can be obtained in the Engineering & Secondary Roads office in the basement of the courthouse. You are responsible for keeping the flags visible so the road grader does not grade your dust control.

Restoring access on gravel roads is a slow process since motor graders are not built for speed, and a typical route covers between 60 and 80 miles (or 120 and 160 lane miles) of roads that need to be cleared. If windy conditions result in having to use the V-plows to get through snow drifts, even slower progress will be made. Sometimes after a severe storm, it is not possible to reach all homes until the second or third day. Continued windy conditions can result in a road blowing shut after it is opened. Home owners are encouraged to plan accordingly for the winter season.

Unfortunately, this is due to the continuous operation of the plow. It is necessary for the operator to push snow without stopping in order to efficiently remove the snow and complete the route in a timely manner. If we pause to clear each driveway, both momentum and time are lost. Generally, the snow is pushed to the south and east so that the removed snow windrow will not act as a snow fence and cause drifting across the roadway with the prevailing northerly and westerly winds.

During wet snows, the plowing operations will often cast snow across the shoulder, which can break the weaker mailbox supports. Contact the Engineering & Secondary Roads office at (641) 774-4013 x6 to report damage. Repairs or replacements will be made in a timely manner if the damage is the fault of the county. 

Salt does not melt ice, but it does lower the freezing temperature of water. This works down to a temperature of approximately 20 degrees. At a critical temperature of or about 20 degrees, applying salt to roads packed with snow or ice may create worse problems by causing the snow or ice to "glaze" or form a slick, shiny surface. Also, during windy storms, snow will often blow off a bare road, whereas salt will sometimes cause the snow to begin to stick. We monitor the forecast and current temperatures to determine the most efficient use of our salt.

You can reach us at (641) 774-4013 x6 during business hours of Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The office is closed on county holidays.