CBC In Chico

Conservation District in Butte County

By Linden Brooks, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

During the Dust Bowl, California established Soil and Water Conservation Districts as part of a national movement to address resource problems at a local level. Today, California has 103 such districts, now called Resource Conservation Districts (RCD) as mandated by the State Legislature. Only five counties in the state lack a Resource Conservation District, and Butte County is one of them.

In 1975 and again in 1985, Butte County considered forming an RCD. Both times the concerns of more government control and the potential of a financial burden on local taxpayers thwarted the process.

The County revisited the idea in early 1998 and asked Bill Olson, County Farm Advisor with the Cooperative Extension Service, to conduct an education outreach program in the county. Mr. Olson coordinated a number of public meetings including city and rural residents, the Agriculture Advisory Committee, the League of Women Voters, the Farm Bureau, and Women in Agriculture. Surrounding RCDs participated in the meetings to share their experiences in Sutter, Butte, Colusa, and Tehama counties. These sessions resulted in a recommendation from the Agriculture Advisory Committee to form an RCD — a decision supported by Farm Bureau, League of Women Voters, Women in Agriculture, and citizens from the upper ridge above Paradise interested in water and fire prevention issues.

During the hearing process, a subcommittee of Butte County supervisors and local citizens formed to determine the appropriate boundaries and structure for the new RCD. As a result, Supervisor Kirk Johanson noted the previous misinformation concerning RCDs in California. These districts offer many benefits, including:

• Managing and developing water improvement projects;

• Protecting the fisheries and wildlife habitat;

• Helping landowners reduce source pollution problems;

• Increase productivity in economic returns and sustainable habitat to agriculture and forest; and

• Local control.

The County Supervisors agreed in November of 1999 that the Butte RCD would consist of five district directors appointed by the Board of Supervisors and four non–voting associate directors.

The next step involves moving the RCD formation process on to the Local Agency Formation Commission for approval. This effort continues to make progress, and by Spring of 2002 the issue will be put to Butte County voters.