Conservation Programs Division

The Conservation Programs Division provides management and technical assistance to Oklahoma’s 88 conservation districts in three major program areas:

Small Watershed Program - Upstream Flood Control

The division assists conservation districts in the new construction of upstream flood control dams, the operation and maintenance of existing dams and with the rehabilitation of aging dams.

Operation and maintenance of almost 2,100 flood control dams is a major job for conservation districts, local sponsors for most of the projects. The Conservation Programs Division provides equipment, financial assistance and technicians to help districts carry out this responsibility.

Conservation Cost-Share Program

The division administers the Oklahoma Cost-Share Program. This program, authorized by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1998, provides funds to conservation districts to help landowners install conservation practices on the land to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality.

Conservation Education

The division works with conservation districts to provide assistance with outdoor classroom development, natural resource days and other educational activities. The division also provides assistance to districts with training of district employees, teachers and youth leaders in conservation education curricula.

The division coordinates the Conservation Commission’s role as cosponsors of three education curricula - Project Wet, Project Wild, and Project Learning Tree.

The division carries out the Commission’s statutory responsibility to coordinate environmental and natural resources education for the state. This is accomplished through the Oklahoma Environmental Education Coordinating Committee, which is chaired by the Commission