Rock Island Soil and Water Conservation District (RISWCD)

The Rock Island County Soil and Water Conservation District (RISWCD) is a local unit of government established on February 10, 1942. RISWCD is governed by a five-person board of directors, elected by landowners and land occupants within the District. The Board of Directors are either landowners or land occupants in Rock Island County and meet regularly to administer a program of work that fits the needs and natural resources concerns within our county. In the State of Illinois there are 98 Soil and Water Conservation Districts serving their respective counties.

The District receives its operating funds from The Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Rock Island County Board. We work closely with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) on a variety of programs for farmers. We also work with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) on construction site National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) monitoring and stormwater conferences. The RISWCD is involved in many projects enhancing the viability and conservation of the county. The District has relationships and collaborations within the Bi-State Conservation Action Network (BI-CAN) that includes U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Nahant Marsh, Trees Forever, and Pheasants Forever. Annual workshops, conferences and networking events are some of the many activities of our collaborations. Moreover, we work closely with the University of Illinois Extension and the Quad City Conservation Alliance (QCCA) for educational events and volunteer support.

Soil and Water Conservation Districts are governmental subdivisions of the state and are tax exempt, as defined under Section 115 of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions to Soil and Water Conservation Districts are deductible, as defined in Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

We provide workshops, presentations, land and site evaluations, training, and much more for the community. All requests are welcomed! Contact us for more information.

All SWCD programs and services are offered on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or familial status.

RockIslandswcd.org is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including individuals with disabilities. We are actively working to enhance the accessibility and usability of our website to meet or exceed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards. While we strive to make our website fully accessible, some areas are still being refined to improve the user experience. If you encounter any accessibility barriers or have difficulty using our website, please contact us immediately so we can promptly address the issue:

Email: dgillespie@rockislandswcd.org
📞 Phone: 309-764-1486

We appreciate your patience as we continue our efforts to create an inclusive and accessible experience for all users.