Records of the Colorado Association of Soil Conservation Districts

Following major dust storms and significant erosion in Colorado in the mid-1930s, the state realized the importance of soil conservation. In 1937, the state passed the Colorado Soil Conservation Act, which provided for locally controlled soil conservation districts to maintain and improve the state's soil and water resources. Such districts began to form that year, and by 1945 there were 56 soil conservation districts across the state.

On July 30, 1945, the Colorado Association of Soil Conservation Districts (CASCD) was formed as a statewide organization to provide guidance for the individual districts as well as to promote conservation at state and national levels. The first meeting was held in Denver on February 18-19, 1946. The administration of the organization was based on having one director representing each of the seven watersheds in the state. Later, directors were added in order to have two from each of the large watersheds, Arkansas, Colorado, and North-South Platte.

The Association's work has included helping districts to secure grants for conservation machinery, influencing state and federal legislation, and holding workshops to discuss state laws. The CASCD has had several newsletters during their history, including Colorado Topsoil and The Colorado Conservator, which began in 1985 and is still being published. The CASCD leased its first office space in Denver in 1978 and currently has offices in Lakewood, Colorado.