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Meramec Funding Sources

Soil and Water Conservation Subdistrict

Soil and Water Conservation Subdistrict

Aug. 1, 2019
By WSU EFC

Story summary:

  • A Soil and Water Conservation Subdistrict may be formed to carry out watershed protection and flood prevention programs.

Quick Facts

Powers of a Soil and Water Conservation Subdistrict
Acquire lands (purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, etc), Eminent domain, Levy tax, Issue bonds, and more.

Benefits of a Soil and Water Subdistrict
Proceeds collected can be used for a broad range of water conservation and flood reduction projects

Allows landowners to develop and implement a plan for the properties in their watershed to reduce flooding and increase watershed protection 

Drawbacks of a Soil and Water Subdistrict
Adds another layer of government

Adds another layer of taxes and taxing districts

May deter businesses or residents

Lack a long-lasting example in Missouri

About

Establishing a Subdistrict:  To create a Subdistrict, landowners must file a petition to request a hearing and a referendum with the Board of the Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors. The petition must be signed by one or more owners of 50% of the lands in the proposed subdistrict.

The subdistrict area must be contiguous and include the entire hydrologic area. Next, a proposed plan of work must be developed and submitted.

A hearing notice and hearing will be held (detailed rules apply, see statute). The Supervisors will determine if a subdistrict is desirable, practicable, feasible and necessary for public healthy, safety and general welfare. Be sure to address all these areas in the petition’s plan of work – be specific and use lots of data.

To pass, 65% of all landowners in the district must vote in favor of establishing the district.

Governing Body: A 5-member board of trustees is elected from the subdistrict area. The Supervisors act as advisors to the subdistrict board, and receive minutes from the subdistrict meetings. There are election and years of service rules that apply. Each year the board must also prepare an annual budget that is used to assess the annual tax.

Powers of the Governing Body:

  • Acquire lands, easements or right-of-ways through purchase, exchange, lease, gift, grant, bequest, devise, condemnation, other means
  • Implement projects that align with goals of the subdistrict, includes construction, repair, improvement, operation, maintenance, etc.
  • Issue bonds, borrow money,
  • Sue or be sued
  • Levy a one-time Organization Tax (no more than 40-cents per $100 of assessed valuation of real estate) for organization and administration expenses
  • Levy an annual tax – after trustees have obtained agreements and farm plans from 65% or more of the lands in the district

Missouri state statues that govern the powers, establishment and disestablishment of a WID can be found in Chapters 249.1150, 249.1155.

Consult your municipal attorney prior to moving forward with Subdistrict opportunity.

More Info/Resources

Consult your community’s attorney and financial advisors prior to moving forward with any of these funding options. Any reference in this website to any person, or organization, or activities, products, or services related to such person or organization, or any linkages from this website to the website of another party, do not constitute or imply the endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of companies or organizations.
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