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The West Side Soil and Water Conservation District was organized in 1944 to save and protect soil and water in the Upper Snake River Valley. The first priority of the District board was to prevent erosion by improving irrigation systems through land leveling, head gates, and checks and drops. The district was the first in the nation to install district boundary signs. Its significant accomplishments include a strong history of advancing conservation education. The district led the way with education meetings on sprinkler irrigation and dryland conservation, neighborhood farm group action meetings, irrigation demonstrations, field demonstrations of grain and pasture mix. They engineered the reconstruction of the Butte-Market Lake Canal, developed farmer-installed permanent control of irrigation wastewater and subsurface water. More recently, the District helped the Northwest Flood Control Cooperative obtain a state grant to control flooding northwest of Roberts. Today the goal of controlling erosion from poor irrigation management has been met after many years of irrigation improvements throughout the West Side District. Wind erosion, particularly on sandy soils in the Osgood area and along Interstate 15, is a major concern today, in addition to spring runoff on irrigated lands, and noxious weed eradication and control. Recently, much of the technical service provided to West Side constituents has been in the planning of windbreaks for wind erosion control and wildlife habitat. The District also provides a fabric mulch layer for the installation of windbreaks at a nominal rental fee.
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A little history... |
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Organizers of the West Side SWCD |
