The Soil and Water Conservation District is a subdivision of local government in Delaware County. Our primary purpose is to protect and improve natural resources within our community. Given that our soil and water resources plays a crucial role in the health of our rural economies, food and energy systems, and overall quality of life in Delaware County, we are dedicated to providing property owners with the necessary resources they need to effectively and sustainably manage their land. 

The District’s operations are overseen by an elected Board of Supervisors consisting of agricultural producers, rural business owners, and local experts that volunteer their time to improve our community. 

In 2019 the District helped to keep 16 million pounds of soil out of our local streams, 10 times more than in 2014. These actions help conserve farm ground, which is one of our most valuable economic resources.

In 2020, Delaware County Farmers implemented sustainable practices on 20,000 acres to prevent erosion and filter runoff, a 700% increase from 2016. The impact of practices like winter cover crops is cleaner water for both wildlife and Delaware County residents. 

Since 2019 three dangerous and unnatural low-head dams were removed or modified on the White River, which has led to safer recreational access to the White River. 

In the last 20 years the District has raised five million dollars in funding which has been reinvested into the county, helping hundreds of small business owners that make up our local agricultural economy. 

The District partners with organizations like the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Purdue Extension, and numerous local foundations. We collaborate to implement key initiatives.

Although there are many funding programs available to assist property owners in understanding and implementing sustainable land management practices, the extensive paperwork required to initiate the programs may be overwhelming for some individuals. 

So the District started a free program that gives landowners information they need to begin the conservation planning process. 

Once given permission by a landowner, a program specialist from the District examines the land and documents site features to develop a tentative plan to improve the water and soil health through different sustainable practices. 

Then the specialist meets with the landowner to go over the plan and find specific goals based on what the landowner wants to do. After that, the District will direct the landowner to people who can help with funding and educating on how to best implement the conservation plan.

We’re also committed to making the public aware of the importance of maintaining healthy soil and water in our area. We’ve hosted several events open to the public with keynote speakers sharing their expertise on sustainable practices. We’ve produced numerous videos and news articles promoting these practices and have worked to keep our website and social media pages up to date to keep the public more informed and engaged in what we’re doing. 

The health of our community’s natural resources is an essential part of the well-being of Delaware County and its citizens. 

The Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District in partnership with our rural community is making big strides towards a brighter future, but we must continue to reach more landowners and grow participation in our programs. We have an opportunity to become a state and Regional leader in the conservation of our natural resources. We hope you will join us in sustaining the health of our county’s soil and water now and for generations to come.