What an Idaho Conservation District Is
Idaho has 50 locally led conservation districts, according to the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission's roles and responsibilities page. Under Chapter 27, Title 22 of Idaho Code, each is a governmental subdivision of the state and a public body corporate and politic. Put plainly, a district is a local board that helps landowners conserve soil, water, forests and wildlife on private land, using voluntary programs rather than regulation. They are numbered 1 to 50 (Ada is 1 and Yellowstone is 50) and stretch from Bonners Ferry to Montpelier, per the Commission's about page.
Where They Came From
The Commission says Idaho's conservation effort dates back to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and that in 1939 the Idaho Legislature set up a bottom-up approach to voluntary conservation. The Commission was formed to help the federal government set up local districts, typically one per county, working directly with farmers and ranchers. Some districts are younger than that. A 2018 fact sheet for the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation District says it was formed in 1954 and covers about 8,477 square miles of Idaho County.
What Districts Do
- Work directly with landowners to conserve soil, water, forests and wildlife.
- Coordinate help from public and private, local, state and federal sources.
- Put farm, ranch and forestland conservation practices on the ground.
- Conserve and restore wetlands and protect groundwater.
- Help communities and homeowners plant trees and cover, and help developers control erosion during construction.
- Reach out to communities and schools.
- Run surveys, research and demonstration projects, prepare comprehensive plans, and make equipment available to landowners.
Districts can accept money, services and materials from state and federal agencies, take tax-deductible donations for public purposes, hire staff and enter contracts. Each must also write a Five Year Plan and an Annual Plan of Work. Examples are posted on the Commission's site, such as the Ada SWCD plan.
Who Runs a District
Each district is governed by a board of five or seven supervisors, who are locally elected public officials. The Commission's election guidance and Idaho Code 22-2721 give the details:
- Supervisors must be registered to vote in Idaho and be landowners or farmers in the district.
- A board of five can vote to grow to seven, or shrink back, by majority vote. On a seven-member board, the two appointed supervisors must be qualified by training and experience.
- Terms are four years, starting January 1 after the election.
- A quorum is three on a five-member board and four on a seven-member board.
- Districts must follow laws on elections, ethics, open meetings, public records and public funds, so their meetings are open to you.
How Supervisors Are Chosen
The election guidance says the county clerk runs district elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in odd-numbered years, and the district tells the clerk before December of the prior year that it needs one. To run, file a nominating petition on the clerk's required form with the district secretary on or before September 1; the statute requires signatures of at least five qualified electors. Write-in candidates file a declaration of intent at least 45 days before the election. If qualified nominees only equal the open seats, the board declares them elected with no vote. A 2026 amendment in the statute shifts the schedule for the 2026 and 2028 elections by one year, so confirm your district's next election date with your county clerk.
When a seat opens mid-term, the board fills it by majority vote. If the board has not filled it within 90 days and a quorum is lost, the governor appoints a replacement.
The State Commission Behind Them
The Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission provides all 50 districts with financial and technical assistance, according to its district support page. Its programs include low-interest conservation loans, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, the Water Quality Program for Agriculture and conservation planning. In fiscal year 2021, most districts signed a partnership agreement with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Commission to carry out Farm Bill programs. The Commission is at 322 E Front Street, Suite 560, Boise, and its phone is 208-332-1790.
How to Find Your District
- Open the Commission's district support page and use its District Maps table, which links a map for each of the 50 districts.
- Check the statewide districts-by-division map.
- Call the Commission if your property sits near a boundary.
- Ask your University of Idaho Extension county office, which often works alongside the district.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many conservation districts does Idaho have?
Fifty, numbered 1 to 50.
Is a district a state or federal office?
No. Each is a local governmental subdivision of the state, governed by locally elected supervisors, though it partners with state and federal agencies.
Do districts regulate my land?
The Commission describes Idaho's approach as non-regulatory, voluntary and locally led.
Can I run for supervisor?
If you are a registered Idaho voter and a landowner or farmer in the district, you can file a petition by September 1 of the election year.
Idaho Listings Covered by This Guide
- Ada Soil and Water Conservation District
Ada Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Ada County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Adams Soil and Water Conservation District
Adams Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Adams County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Bear Lake Soil and Water Conservation District
Bear Lake Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Bear Lake County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Benewah Soil and Water Conservation District
Benewah Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Benewah County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Blaine Soil and Water Conservation District
Blaine Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Blaine County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District
Bonner Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Bonner County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Boundary Soil and Water Conservation District
Boundary Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Boundary County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Butte Soil and Water Conservation District
Butte Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Butte County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Camas Soil and Water Conservation District
Camas Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Camas County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Canyon Soil and Water Conservation District
Canyon Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Canyon County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Caribou Soil and Water Conservation District
Caribou Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Caribou County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Central Bingham Soil and Water Conservation District
Central Bingham Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Bingham County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Clark Soil and Water Conservation District
Clark Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Clark County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Clearwater Soil and Water Conservation District
Clearwater Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Clearwater County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Custer Soil and Water Conservation District
Custer Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Custer County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - East Cassia Soil and Water Conservation District
East Cassia Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in eastern Cassia County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - East Side Soil and Water Conservation District
East Side Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Idaho Falls area; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission. Shares the Idaho Falls office with its East Side or West Side counterpart.
1120 Lincoln Road, Suite A, Idaho Falls, ID 83401 | (208) 522-6250 - Elmore Soil and Water Conservation District
Elmore Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Elmore County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Franklin County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Gem Soil and Water Conservation District
Gem Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Gem County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Gooding Soil and Water Conservation District
Gooding Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Gooding County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts
Membership association that represents Idaho's local soil and water conservation districts on statewide policy.
ID - Idaho Soil and Water Conservation District
Idaho Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Idaho County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District
Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Jefferson County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Kootenai Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District
Kootenai Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Kootenai and Shoshone counties; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Latah Soil and Water Conservation District
Latah Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Latah County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Lemhi Soil and Water Conservation District
Lemhi Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Lemhi County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Lewis Soil and Water Conservation District
Lewis Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Lewis County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Madison Soil and Water Conservation District
Madison Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Madison County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Minidoka Soil and Water Conservation District
Minidoka Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Minidoka County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District
Nez Perce Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Nez Perce County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - North Bingham Soil and Water Conservation District
North Bingham Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in northern Bingham County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Oneida Soil and Water Conservation District
Oneida Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Oneida County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Owyhee Soil and Water Conservation District
Owyhee Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Owyhee County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Payette Soil and Water Conservation District
Payette Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Payette County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Power Soil and Water Conservation District
Power Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Power County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Snake River Soil and Water Conservation District
Organized in 1966, the district works the Snake River corridor in Twin Falls County from the eastern county line to Filer on irrigation erosion and nitrate issues.
1441 Fillmore St, Suite A, Twin Falls, ID 83301 | 208-944-3756 - South Bingham Soil and Water Conservation District
South Bingham Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in southern Bingham County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Teton Soil and Water Conservation District
Teton Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Teton County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID - Twin Falls Soil and Water Conservation District
Twin Falls Soil and Water Conservation District is an Idaho conservation district working with landowners on soil health, irrigation efficiency and water quality in Twin Falls County; it is one of 50 districts supported by the state commission.
ID
Plus 4 more. Find yours on your county's page in the Idaho directory.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.