History of Wasco County SWCD, Oregon


The Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District was originally created on November 20, 1942 with the formation of The Southern Wasco Soil Conservation District. Northern and Central Wasco Soil Conservation Districts were organized on May 12, 1947 and May 13, 1947 respectively. Some of the earliest work undertaken by the conservation districts in Wasco County was land levelling and irrigation system development.

On June 10, 1973 the Wasco Soil and Water Conservation District was formed by a consolidation of the three districts in Wasco County. In September 1973, the SWCD boundaries were made to conform to County boundaries with the transfer of the eastern two-thirds of T35 R10E (upper Badger Creek Drainage) to Hood River SWCD. On November 20,1973 the Certificate of Organization was issued to the newly consolidated district. Subsequently, the district name was changed to the Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District. The District celebrated its golden 50th Anniversary at its 1992 annual meeting.  On November 2, 2004 Wasco County voters approved a permanent tax rate limit for the district of 25 cents per $1,000 assessed value providing, for the first time, stable base funding for the district.


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