Soil and Water Conservation Commission reports FY24 gains, high demand for Waukapa cost-share

Acting Administrator Loretta Strickland of the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission told the House Agriculture Affairs Committee on Feb. 18 that the agency met several performance targets in fiscal year 2024 but continues to face high demand for voluntary conservation funding.

The commission, Strickland said, delivered staff time and technical support to conservation districts and private landowners across Idaho while administering programs that include the Resource Conservation and Rangeland Development Program (RCRDP), participation in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer CREP partnership, and development of TMDL implementation plans for agricultural lands.

Strickland, introduced as the commission’s Ag Program Manager who was serving as acting administrator in the absence of the agency administrator, said the commission reported roughly $3.95 million in total revenues for FY24 and just over $7.9 million in expenditures. She said $1.58 million appropriated for distribution to conservation districts was disbursed per statute and rule. "In accordance with Idaho code 20-2-727 and the intent language set forth in House Bill 352 from 2023, the first $725,000 was distributed equally among the 50 conservation districts," Strickland said. That equal distribution translated to $14,500 per district, she said, and the remaining $858,800 was distributed as state match based on eligible local support, with a median match allocation of $13,834 per district.

Strickland said staff provided nearly 12,000 hours of commission…