2024 Conference Summary

The 2024 MNAFPM conference was held jointly with the Iowa Floodplain and Stormwater Management Association (IFSMA) in Austin MN from November 13th to the 15th. Over 150 floodplain managers, state and federal regulators, academics, design professionals, consultants, and students from both Minnesota and Iowa, as well as nearby states, attended the conference.

As in years past, the conference began on Wednesday with a few trainings and a field tour around the area to visit a variety of flood related projects. The tour was led by Cody Fox from the Cedar River Watershed District and Steven Lang with the City of Austin. Highlights of the tour included the City of Austin’s flood mitigation initiatives and a major Watershed District Capital Improvement Project in the Dobbins Creek subwatershed. The tour was a great example of the history and future of floodplain management across Austin and the surrounding area and ended with a fun visit to the SPAM museum!

The opening plenary was held that evening with Ceil Strauss (MNDNR), Jason Conn (Iowa DNR), and Meg Galloway (ASFPM) providing an update on ongoing efforts and upcoming initiatives in their respective states and at the national level. The night finished with a sponsor/exhibitor reception and happy hour allowing networking amongst the attendees and the various sponsors.

The second day of the conference kicked off bright and early with the MNAFPM Membership Meeting. The opening plenary provided information on FEMA updates as well as MnDOTs response to recent flooding in District 6 including a discussion on the statewide database MNDOT is developing to record and address flooding impacts. This was followed by a full day consisting of a wide range of breakout sessions offered by state and local officials as well as engineering consults. The third day concluded the conference and included an in-person option to take the CFM exam.

Lisa Buchli Floodplain Manager of the Year Award
Rachel Pichelmann (MN DOT)

Top Speaker Awards
Bridget Osborn (HR Green)

Mark Jacobs (Houston Engineering) & Albert Schmidt (City of Sioux Falls)

Project of the Year Award
City of Afton Levee Reconstruction & Downtown Old Village Improvement Project