What Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Districts Do
Every Ohio county has a soil and water conservation district, usually shortened to SWCD, for a total of 88. Their job, in the words of a conservation district fact sheet, is to encourage proper soil, water and other natural resource management for farm, rural, suburban and urban land. Districts are created under Chapter 940 of the Ohio Revised Code. They are local, run by an elected board, and they work with state and federal agencies rather than being part of a county office in the usual sense.
The same fact sheet says districts plan soil conservation, erosion control and flood prevention projects, carry out surveys and research, and build, maintain and operate measures for conservation and flood prevention. Oversight runs through the Ohio Department of Agriculture on behalf of the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and districts are supported by state aid and local funds. Some collect local levies.
What a District Office Can Help With
The services vary by county, but the Union County district shows the range. According to its about page, the district offers information, technical guidance and cost-share assistance for homeowners, farmers and educators. It coordinates with USDA NRCS, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Federation of SWCDs and the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Its listed programs include:
- Conservation programs and low interest loans for agriculture
- H2Ohio, the state water quality initiative
- Urban and wildlife conservation and education programming
- Watershed management, water quality information and stream guides covering erosion, floodplains, logjams, riparian buffers and permits
- Drainage help and information on county-maintained ditches
- Seasonal sales and rentals, including a fish sale and a tree sale
Union SWCD was established in 1945 as an independent subdivision of the state, is funded by the county commissioners, local municipalities and state matching funds, and lists office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 18000 State Route 4, Suite D, Marysville. Your own district will list its own programs and hours, so look up your county before you drive anywhere with a shovel.
H2Ohio
H2Ohio is Governor Mike DeWine's water quality plan, aimed at harmful algal blooms, wastewater infrastructure and lead contamination, according to the H2Ohio agriculture page. For farmers, the state describes an incentive program that rewards practices proven to improve water quality, with cover crops given as one example. The page does not list eligibility, enrollment steps or deadlines, so contact the H2Ohio team at 614-752-9817 or your county SWCD to learn what is open where you farm.
How the Board Works
Each district is governed by a board of five supervisors who serve three-year terms, per the fact sheet above. Local landowners and occupiers vote in an election that the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission runs, so this is one of the few public offices where a farmer can plausibly be your neighbor and also your representative. Recent notices show how it plays out. The Jefferson County election in 2025 ran from September 28 to October 27, and the Highland County election used in-person voting at the district office, a ballot at the annual meeting and absentee ballots, for a term running January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028.
Who Can Run and Who Can Vote
Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 901:13-3 sets the election rules:
- Candidates: must be at least 18 and live in the district.
- Voters: must be at least 18 and own or occupy land in the district.
- Nominations: a three-member committee appointed by the board chairman can nominate at least 45 days before the election, or a county resident can file a petition with ten valid signatures at least 35 days before. Signers must be 18 or older and own or occupy land in the district.
- Notice: published 7 to 30 days before the election in a local newspaper or on the district website.
- Voting: in-person voting during regular business hours over a fourteen-day period, plus an absentee method.
- Ties and recounts: ties are broken by coin flip in the candidates' presence, and recount requests are due within ten days of the results.
The Jefferson County notice described ten signatures from county landowners or occupiers at least 18 years old, with petitions due by 4:30 p.m. on August 22 that year. Deadlines move from year to year, so call your district before the notice goes out.
Why Landowners Should Know Their District
If you own a farm, a woodlot, a pond, a creek bank or a lawn that floods, the local SWCD is often the quickest source of both advice and money. Cost-share assistance for conservation practices may be available through the district, but program names, funding and sign-up windows change, so ask what is open right now. District staff also know the drainage and ditch rules in your county and can tell you which agency to call.
Practical Tips
- Find your county's SWCD website or call the office, and ask for its program list and annual meeting date.
- Bring a parcel map and photos of the problem area when you ask about erosion or drainage.
- Ask about seasonal sales early. Tree and fish sales are listed on district pages such as Union's.
- Ask about H2Ohio and cost share before starting a practice, not after.
- If you own or occupy land in the district and are 18 or older, you can vote. Watch for the election notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many soil and water conservation districts does Ohio have?
There are 88, one for each county.
How many supervisors sit on a district board?
Five, serving three-year terms.
Who runs the supervisor elections?
The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission or its agent.
Do I have to be a farmer to vote?
No. Voters must be 18 or older and own or occupy land in the district.
Ohio Listings Covered by This Guide
- Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District
Clermont SWCD works from the county fairgrounds in Owensville and has served the county for 83 years, hosting an annual meeting each fall.
1000 Locust St, Owensville, OH 45160 | 513-732-7075 Website - Darke Soil and Water Conservation District
Darke SWCD is open weekdays 7:30 AM to 4 PM in Greenville and its board of supervisors meets the first Monday of each month at 8 AM in 2026.
1117 Southtowne Court, Greenville, OH | 937-548-1715 Website - Fulton Soil and Water Conservation District
Fulton County district selling windbreak and oak savannah trees, renting equipment and running student programs, land lab help and backyard conservation workshops.
8770 St. Rt 108, Suite B, Wauseon, OH 43567 | 419-337-9217 - Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District
Works with the Natural Resources Conservation Service on soil and water conservation, livestock and best management practices, and rents equipment; open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
950 W. Kohler Street, Kenton, OH 43326 | 419-673-0456 - Harrison Soil and Water Conservation District
Harrison SWCD in Cadiz gives landowners educational and technical help conserving natural resources, with a forestry and wildlife technician on staff and some free or low-cost services.
538 North Main Street, Suite A, Cadiz, OH 43907 | 740-942-8837 Website - Union Soil & Water Conservation District
Marysville district office running annual fish and tree sales, drainage maintenance, watershed planning and H2Ohio help; the board meets monthly at the Union County Ag Center.
18000 State Route 4, Suite D, Marysville, OH 43040 | (937) 642-5871 Website - Union Soil and Water Conservation District
Union SWCD offers fish and tree sales, drainage maintenance, watershed management, H2Ohio help and Darby low-interest loans for agriculture to Union County landowners.
18000 State Route 4, Suite D, Marysville, OH 43040 | 937-642-5871 Website
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.