What are Soil and Water Conservation Districts?
Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) exist in every county of the United States. They are legally defined as subdivisions of State government, but they function as local units. There are 45 Oregon SWCDs putting conservation on the ground. The results are cleaner water; more productive crop, pasture, and forest lands; and vibrant wildlife habitat.
History of the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District
Map of Tualatin River Watershed and Washington County Boundaries (Click image to view larger)
On June 20, 1955, the Washington Soil Conservation District was legally organized “to work out, on a cooperative basis, problems having to do with erosion control, irrigation improvement and development, drainage improvement, and farm planning.”
Through the years, the District has expanded its boundary to be the same as the Washington County boundary and has changed its name several times to accurately reflect its service area and responsibilities. In 1956, the original five-member board was increased to seven to better represent the constituency.
In March 2003, the District officially changed its name to the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District.
The Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District strives to make natural resources as economically viable and environmentally healthy as possible by equipping residents with knowledge, financial resources, and motivation to make the Tualatin Basin a great place to live and work.
Why the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District is Important
The District:
Provides technical assistance to landowners to implement conservation measures to protect natural resources in the Tualatin River Watershed, solve their individual problems, and meet their objectives.- Provides technical assistance to county and city governments on problems involving erosion control, irrigation, manure management, invasive species, wildlife habitat, stream functioning, and other natural resource issues.
- Conducts research and assessments to identify problems and solutions to protect the environment, economy, and communities.
Works with local agencies and groups to address watershed-wide natural resource concerns and opportunities. - Educates residents through public speaking, workshops, printed materials, and public media.
- Brings federal, state, and private dollars to Washington County to assist landowners with implementation costs and technical assistance.
