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Implementing Conservation Practices and Conducting Educational and Outreach Programs Lead to Water Quality Improvement in the Little River
Waterbody Improved Little River is one of many water bodies in Central Texas listed as impaired on the Clean Water Act Section (CWA) 303(d) list of impaired waters due to elevated levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Two Little River assessment units (AU) were listed as impaired in 2006 and 2010. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) funded a watershed characterization for Little River to get a more accurate assessment of the waterbodies’ conditions and aid in identifying potential causes and sources of pollution. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) and its partners hosted numerous educational events for stakeholders to learn about their local water quality issues. These events also focused on the management of feral hogs, riparian areas, septic systems, livestock, and water wells. Many of these outreach events prompted landowners to begin participating in conservation programs and implementing practices on their property. Through these combined efforts, water quality improved and two Little River AUs were removed from the state’s list of impaired waters in 2014 and 2022, respectively.Release Date:
Texas Students Recognized Nationally in NACD Photo and Poster Contests
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the winners of its 2025 Photo and Poster Contests during the 80th NACD Annual Meeting, held in San Antonio. The annual contests highlight the creativity and conservation awareness of students from across the nation, and this year, Texas youth were proudly among those recognized on the national stage.Release Date:
West Texas Stewardship: Vick Bozeman’s Story of Land & Cutting Horses
Vick Bozeman doesn’t talk about conservation as a theory. He talks about it the same way he learned everything that matters. Through work, repetition, and responsibility.Release Date:
Texas SWCDs Mark 75 Years of Local Conservation Efforts
In 2026, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) proudly recognizes and celebrates Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) across the state that are marking their 75th Anniversary. Established in 1951, these districts represent 75 years of local leadership, voluntary conservation, and strong partnerships with the farmers, ranchers, and landowners who steward Texas’s natural resources.Release Date:
Leaving the Land Better: Kenneth McAlister and a Lifetime of Soil Stewardship
The cotton stripper rattled to a stop at the edge of the field, dust hanging in the air as the engine idled. Kenneth McAlister climbed down from the cab, boots hitting the soil he’s spent a lifetime working to protect. He didn’t need an office or a conference room for this conversation. The field, mid-harvest, alive with purpose, was exactly where it belonged.Release Date:
Texas Showcases Leadership in Conservation at National Joint Meeting: National Association of State Conservation Agencies and National Watershed Coalition Convene in Fort Worth to Advance Soil, Water, and Watershed Stewardship
The Lone Star State took center stage in conservation in October as Texas hosted the 2025 Joint National Meeting of the National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA) and the National Watershed Coalition (NWC) in Fort Worth. The multi-day event drew over 230 conservation professionals, agency directors, watershed sponsors, and partners from across the nation, representing nearly every U.S. state, to collaborate on shared challenges and opportunities in watershed and natural resource management.Release Date:
Rides, Roots & Responsibility: Bo Poole is cultivating conservation, community, & legacy at P6 Farms
On fall weekends in Montgomery, about 54 miles from Houston, the hum of tractors mingles with the laughter of families at P6 Farms. Children tug their parents toward vintage carnival rides, grandparents point out old hand pumps by the duck races, and city-dwellers trade sidewalks for wide open spaces abundant with soil, often for the first time. At the center of it all is Bo Poole, a fifth-generation rancher, conservationist, and Chairman of the Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), whose life’s work is rooted in a simple belief: agriculture is not just a livelihood, it’s a legacy.Release Date:
Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Hosts Successful 85th Annual Meeting
The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), in partnership with the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts (ATSWCD), proudly hosted its Annual Meeting of Texas Soil and Water Conservation District Directors last week at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Round Rock. The event drew over 600 attendees, including district directors, conservation partners, agency representatives, and land stewards from across Texas.Release Date:
Stakeholders Receive EPA Acceptance of Medina River Watershed Protection Plan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently accepted the Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) for the Medina River below Medina Diversion Lake as meeting the EPA’s guidelines for watershed-based plans. The Medina River WPP outlines a strategy to implement management measures that will help improve and protect water quality in the watershed.Release Date:
The Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board Requests Proposals for FY2026 Nonpoint Source Grant Program
The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is requesting proposals for watershed assessment, planning, implementation, demonstration and education projects seeking funding under the FY2026 Nonpoint Source Grant Program. Proposed projects should focus on agricultural and/or silvicultural nonpoint source pollution prevention and abatement activities within the boundaries of impaired or threatened watersheds.Release Date: