Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) Administrator Mark Doneux and Monitoring, Maintenance, and Research Division Manager Bob Fossum were honored with awards at the Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts’ (MAWD) annual conference on December 2, 2022.
Mark Doneux, 2022 Outstanding Watershed Administrator
The Minnesota Association of Watershed Administrators (MAWA) named Mark Doneux as the 2022 Outstanding Watershed Administrator. MAWA is a professional and educational organization for administrative executives in local watershed management agencies.
Throughout his thirty-five years protecting Minnesota’s waters, Doneux has worked to advance water resource management by implementing innovative technologies and fostering an environment of collaboration that helps elevate those around him. He has exhibited exemplary leadership as Administrator of CRWD, forming partnerships within and outside of its borders as an advocate for responsible, sustainable, and resilient water resource management at the local, state, and national levels.
Doneux went from being CRWD’s first full-time staff member in leased office space to purchasing and renovating a brownfield site to LEED Gold status. He has led many first-of-their-kind projects and programs for State watershed districts. Two of the many firsts are CRWD’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Plan and the Watershed Artist in Residence program.
Throughout his career, Doneux has continually and generously offered his support and mentorship to other watershed districts, MAWD, and water resource professionals throughout Minnesota. His dedication to advocacy and mentoring continues to generate watershed improvements in CRWD and beyond.
Bob Fossum, 2022 Outstanding Watershed District Employee
The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Executive Director John Jaschke presented the 2022 Outstanding Watershed District Employee award to CRWD Monitoring and Research Division Manager Bob Fossum. BWSR is the state soil and water conservation agency. It administers programs that prevent sediment and nutrients from entering our lakes, rivers, and streams; enhance fish and wildlife habitat; and protect wetlands.
Fossum manages a team of employees who oversee dozens of unique monitoring stations that track water quality and quantify pollutants in stormwater runoff, along with the district’s lakes, stormwater ponds, and wetlands. He also leads the monitoring of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to assess their effectiveness at reducing runoff and removing pollutants.
One of Fossum’s most notable projects is the landmark re-establishment of Hidden Falls Creek and the central water feature at the new Highland Bridge community in Saint Paul, at the former Ford site. The project is a culmination of over a decade of careful planning.
Fossum also led other landmark projects like the Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary that restored a section of the historic Trout Brook in Saint Paul. He has been instrumental in many projects in and around Como Lake that have significantly improved water quality.
