Conservation Funding Crisis Puts Champaign-Area Farmland and Mahomet Aquifer at Risk

CHAMPAIGN -- A second year of steep budget cuts to Illinois’ Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) is threatening critical conservation work in the Champaign area, raising concerns about the long-term health of local farmland and the Mahomet Aquifer — the primary drinking water source for hundreds of thousands of residents.

The state’s FY26 budget provides just $4.5 million for the 97 SWCDs statewide — nearly a 50% reduction from funding levels two years ago and less than what districts received more than 25 years ago. That leaves Champaign County’s SWCD with about $40,000 — barely enough to support a single full-time employee with benefits. “Ideally, they’re supposed to have two people, and that is near impossible,” said Eliot Clay, Executive Director of the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD). “The state is forcing critical conservation offices to cut staff, even as farmers face climate volatility, rising input costs, and mounting pressure to adopt sustainable practices.”

The Champaign-area district plays a key role in helping farmers reduce nutrient runoff, manage stormwater, and prevent soil erosion — all of which are vital to safeguarding the Mahomet Aquifer from contamination. Without sufficient staffing, Clay warned, efforts to protect the aquifer and meet the state’s Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals will suffer. “We’re making sure the resources that support [agriculture] are protected, but also that it’s being utilized in a way that is protecting the environment and public health,” he said during a June 13 WTAX Radio interview.

Clay also expressed concern about potential office closures if federal budget proposals lead to the consolidation of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service facilities, which co-house many SWCDs. “If they go that route, there’s a real chance that we could be facing things as practical as, do we have office space?” he said.

Earlier this year, AISWCD pushed for Senate Bill 2387 to create a dedicated, tax-neutral funding stream for SWCDs. Despite broad, bipartisan support, the bill was not included in the final budget package. Clay urged residents of Champaign County and the broader region to contact legislators. “Tell them that you care about public health, that you care about the long-term sustainability of agriculture in this state.”

To hear the full interview, visit: Budget Cuts Threaten Future of Conservation Districts. For more information, visit www.aiswcd.org.