ALEXANDRIA, Minn. — Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Executive Director John Jaschke announced Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) Director of Projects Michael Hayman as the 2023 Outstanding Watershed District Employee today during the Minnesota Watersheds’ annual conference in Alexandria.
“It’s an honor to recognize the accomplishments of professionals like Michael Hayman, who work diligently to improve water quality and advance conservation efforts in their districts,” Jaschke said. “The passion and commitment demonstrated by local government staff is what drives successful conservation efforts throughout Minnesota.”
Hayman has worked with the district’s staff and Board to cultivate and implement MCWD’s vision of a Balanced Urban Ecology. He manages a team that oversees the planning, acquisition, funding, design and construction of projects that deliver meaningful results to the district’s communities. During his tenure with MCWD, Hayman has spent more than a decade developing the Minnehaha Creek Greenway, a series of interconnected projects along the most degraded stretch of Minnehaha Creek. These projects treat stormwater from over 500 acres, delivering significant water quality benefits while connecting communities to more than 109 acres of restored green space. Hayman also led a collaborative effort in the city of Victoria to restore Wasserman Lake and develop a new waterfront park. These efforts have improved water quality in Wassermann Lake, putting it on track to be delisted from the state’s Impaired Waters List. Hayman has cultivated partnerships with numerous public and private organizations to integrate planning efforts and increase implementation capacity, leveraging more than $8 million in grant funding from state and local sources to support MCWD’s cooperative capital projects.
“Michael has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to MCWD’s vision,” said MCWD Administrator James Wisker. “His drive, perseverance, and willingness to always raise his hand, do the hard things, and support others has set an example for those within and outside MCWD. Michael’s leadership has been essential to advancing impactful capital projects that transform perceptions of what can be achieved.”
Each year, BWSR celebrates the excellent work accomplished by local government staff to advance conservation efforts across the state. An award for Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District Employee will be presented in December during the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts’ (MASWCD) annual conference in Bloomington.
