SWCD History

As the Dust Bowl raged in the early 1930's, soil scientist Hugh Hammond Bennett brought the serious issue of soil erosion to Congress' attention.  The Soil Erosion Service was created in response, however, as seventy-five percent of US land was privately owned, Congress soon realized that buy-in to the program would result from local level programming.

In 1937, the Indiana SWCD Act, IC 14-32, was created to provide local leadership in carrying out soil conservation programs.  As county SWCD's were created all over the state, the practices they promoted shifted from improving production capacity, crop rotations, liming, and  drainage improvements to runoff reduction, off-site impacts of sediments, and nutrients and pesticides effects  on water quality in the 70's and 80's, to federally funded Farm Bill conservation programs, no-till, and cover crop practices.

SWCD Structure

SWCD's are sub-divisions of state government.  Each district is governed by a board of five supervisors. Three supervisors are elected at an annual meeting of land occupiers and two are appointed by the State Soil Conservation Board. All supervisors serve staggered three year terms.  As public officials, they subscribe to a standard public oat of office.  Supervisors are assisted by local professional staff who are usually county employees.