Nine Mile Creek Watershed District has been protecting and managing water resources since 1959.
THE DISTRICT’S STORY
The district’s story is shaped as much by the flow of the creek and the shape of the land as it is by the strong leadership and management decisions made by the board of managers, staff, consultants, and partners. The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District was the fourth watershed district formed in the state under the Minnesota Watershed Act, and it has been a leader in watershed management ever since.
Did you know? Nine Mile Creek is not nine miles long. It got its name from the distance measured southwest from Fort Snelling to where the Old Shakopee Trail crossed the creek in what is now Bloomington.
Mission
It is the mission of the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District to manage, protect and enhance water resources in the Nine Mile Creek watershed in collaboration with our partners and community stakeholders, always using sound science to guide decision-making.
History
As the district got its start in 1959, it was initially charged with addressing water quantity and flood control issues. From there, the district began to address concerns surrounding urban development pressures as they increased in the ‘70s. This included issues surrounding development in the floodplain and maintenance of open space corridors. The 1990s saw the first project focusing on protecting and restoring the creek by the district—the Lower Valley Creek Stabilization Project in Bloomington. Water quality also became a top concern for the district. Today, our watershed addresses a variety of important issues to protect our water resources.
Photography by: Steve Schmalowsky, 2015BUILT FOR FLOOD CONTROL:
Normandale Lake
Normandale Lake was created in 1979 as a flood control structure by the district and the City of Bloomington. The lake is technically a wetland. Since its creation, it has prevented significant flooding in Bloomington.
Permitting
The NMCWD has had a regulatory and permit program since 1973. The NMCWD established a permitting program to protect the natural resources of the NMCWD by establishing minimum requirements for the grading, water quality, water quantity, floodplain protection, and wetlands.
A note on our history books
In 2009, the district published a book by Deborah Morse-Kahn titled The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District: Preserving Heritage and Environment. At the time it was written, the author had gathered extensive information on the societal and environmental history of our watershed and our duties as a governmental agency. However, much has changed since then, and we feel that the book no longer represents us in the way we would like to be represented. Some of the language reflects outdated values and information, especially in regards to indigenous peoples who still live on this land today and who should not be relegated to the past. Also, many of the resources listed in the back no longer exist or have incorrect information.
For these reasons, we will no longer be distributing these books to community members and partners. We will maintain a few copies in our office reference library for people to view onsite and in remembrance of Deborah’s hard work. Please contact Education and Outreach Coordinator Gael Zembal with any questions or to arrange a visit to our office library: gzembal@ninemilecreek.org.