Floyd Laumann of Bloomington is reappointed to 
the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District 
Board of Managers

Bloomington, Minn. – Floyd Laumann, Bloomington, was recently reappointed to the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District Board of Managers for a three-year term by the Hennepin County Commission. Laumann has lived in Bloomington for 47 years primarily in the Lower Valley Area of Nine Mile Creek very near to the creek itself, so he knows the creek well. He often uses the local trails for hiking and cross-country skiing, and this is where he raised his two children, who are now in their 40s. He has three grandchildren, and he feels that he raised his children to enjoy outdoor activities and to be environmentally conscious.

Laumann started serving on the Board in 1997 and decided to participate in this mostly volunteer activity both out of a civic duty and a sense that water resources in the Twin Cities, and downstream, must be protected. Laumann has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota. He is now retired, but he worked as a hydraulic engineer for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) for many years, then at a consulting company, then as director of engineering at a concrete company involved in drainage products. His professional experience in water resources has served him well over the years on the Board of Managers.

“Our challenge is to educate the public on what the watershed is, and what the Watershed District does. Watersheds are a very important part of our eco-systems, and water is the number one element people need to sustain life. In Minnesota, water provides for much recreation and enjoyment, and even serves as a form of transportation. As a manager, my goal is to educate the public at all levels on the importance of watersheds and of water in general,” says Laumann.

Laumann is also committed to the environment in other areas of his life. He is a member of Friends of Minnesota River Valley. Laumann grew up in the West Minnetonka area, and “did it all” growing up – he used the lakes for swimming, fishing and boating, and the nearby wetlands for hunting. He attended grade school at St. Bonifacius and graduated from Mound High School. Over the years, he has been a dedicated volunteer for the St. Boni Historical Society. For many years, Laumann has also served on the planning committee for the annual Water Resources Conference sponsored by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Laumann’s “dream” project for the Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC), a volunteer group of citizens who advise the board on issues of interest or concern in the District, is to reach out more to elementary school students. During his next term, he would like to see CAC members give presentations at District schools to get children and teachers more involved and more concerned with the Watershed District.

The Board of Manager’s mission is to protect and enhance water quality, to protect the health of watershed district residents, and to protect residents from flooding. The managers review permits approved by the cities on development that affect water and make recommendations in approving those permits to ensure protection of the creek, lakes and wetlands. The Watershed District has a vast amount of data and information on the creek and area lakes because it has been carrying out scientific studies on these water bodies since it was started in 1959. It is about 50 square miles and includes much of Edina and Bloomington, and portions of Minnetonka, Hopkins, Eden Prairie and Richfield.

Residents of the Watershed District are invited to attend the Board of Managers' regular meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Edina Senior Center, 5280 Grandview Square, in the lower level and the back of the Edina branch of the Hennepin County Library. Any resident interested in water issues may attend the Citizens' Advisory Committee meetings also on the third Wednesday of each month, at 6:30 p.m. at the same location, unless otherwise noted on the website. For more information, call the District Engineer at 952-832-2600, or the District Communications Consultant at 763-557-5244, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Or, visit the website, at www.ninemilecreek.org.

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