The first soil and water conservation district in Malheur County was formed in 1953 and included the northern part of the County. In 1958, the Adrian SWCD was formed. Both of these groups were very involved in the conservation of soil and water. Many state-of-the-art farming practices were started through these efforts. In 1974, the two districts consolidated forming the Malheur County Soil and Water Conservation District as it is known today.