Agricultural Water Conservation Grants Program
The Agricultural Water Conservation Grants Program offers grants for projects that support agricultural irrigation conservation strategies in alignment with the state water plan and demonstrate agricultural water conservation best management practices. Projects that receive grants must adhere to the Texas Administrative Code Title 31 Section 367. Each year, applications are solicited to address specific topics, based on current issue areas in Texas agricultural water conservation. Some examples of previously awarded grants include the following water saving approaches:
- Irrigation systems improvements
- Demonstrations and technology transfer
- Equipment cost share
The Agricultural Water Conservation Grants Program has funded hundreds of projects since its inception in 1985 that has saved thousands of acre-feet of water.
What can be funded?
A conservation program:- an agricultural water conservation technical assistance program;
- a research, demonstration, technology transfer, or educational program relating to agricultural water use and conservation; and
- a water conservation program administered by a state agency or political subdivision to provide loans to persons for conservation projects.
- improves the efficiency of water delivery to and application on existing irrigation systems;
- prepares irrigated land for conversion to dry land conditions;
- prepares dry land for more efficient use of natural precipitation;
- purchases and installs on public or private property devices designed to indicate the amount of water withdrawn for irrigation purposes; or
- prepares and maintains land to be used for brush control activities in areas of the state where those activities, in the TWDB’s judgment, would be most effective.
FY24 Ag Grants Webinar Series
FY24 Ag Grants Webinar #1
FY24 Ag Grants Webinar #2
How To Apply
For those qualified entities interested in applying, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) annually publishes a Request for Applications (RFA) on this site and on the Texas Register.
The Agricultural Water Conservation Fund’s governing rules and guidelines are outlined in Title 31, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 367, and application instructions are available upon request.
Download an overview of the Agricultural Grants Program
Where can I get more information?
- Water Conservation Best Management Practices
- Texas Administrative Code Title 31 Section 367
- Article III Section 52 and Article XVI Section 59 of the Texas Constitution
- Chapter 67 of the Texas Water Code
- Contact Agricultural Conservation staff at agconservation@twdb.texas.gov, for more information regarding any of the above.
Agricultural Grants Projects
The following table includes details on all Agricultural Water Conservation Grants funded by TWDB since 2004. Where available, a PDF of the final report is provided.
| Contract Number | Fiscal Year | Contractor | Funded Amount | Project Type | Project Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2303582725 | 2023 | Edwards Aquifer Authority | $100,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Irrigation efficiency cost share program |
| 2303582726 | 2023 | Texas Tech University | $249,548 | Research and Demonstration | Funding of the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation program |
| 2303582727 | 2023 | Mesquite GCD | $50,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Cost share of irrigation meters |
| 2303582728 | 2023 | Rolling Plains GCD | $50,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Cost share of irrigation meters |
| 2303582729 | 2023 | Texas A&M Kingsville | $70,834 | Demonstration | Dragon fruit water use study |
| 2303582730 | 2023 | Texas A&M Agrilife | $124,359 | Research and Demonstration | Study on soil-plant water effeiency to reduce water use in Texas vineyards |
| 2303582731 | 2023 | Chambers-Liberty CND | $23,545 | Equipment Cost Share | Installation of three sonar beam flow devices to measure water being applied to crawfish/ rice field |
| 2303582732 | 2023 | Maverick County WCID#1 | $200,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Installation of 5 meters to control and monitor flows along the main canal system |
| 2303582733 | 2023 | Cibolo Creek MA | $12,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Replacement of an old irrigation pumpt |
| 2303582734 | 2023 | University of Texas at San Antonio | $168,832 | Research | Using in-situ sensor observation, remote sensing data, and weather forecasts to improve short term dry condition forecasts |
| 2213582643 | 2022 | Edwards Aquifer Authority | $100,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Grant Program |
| 2213582644 | 2022 | El Paso WID No. 1 | $150,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Riverside Canal Sediment Control Project |
| 2213582645 | 2022 | Evergreen UWCD | $50,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Agriculture Water Conservation Program through metering |
| 2213582646 | 2022 | North Plains GCD | $300,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Meter Reimbursement Program for 400 meters |
| 2213582647 | 2022 | Panhandle GCD | $75,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Remote monitoring Systems project intiative for farmers to switch to RMS |
| 2213582649 | 2022 | Texas A&M | $55,865 | Research | Biochar study the benefits and risks of its use in citrus groves |
| 2213582650 | 2022 | Texas Tech University | $264,644 | Demonstration | Water conservation using cover crops, crop rotations, and irrigation technology to improve soil health |
| 2213582651 | 2022 | United Irrigation District | $200,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Design and construcution of pump station E458 |
| 2103582571 | 2021 | Texas Tech University | $203,054 | Demonstration | Water Conservation through Soil Health Improvement -continuation of Texas Alliance for Water Conservation |
| 2103582572 | 2021 | Gateway GCD | $50,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Agricultural Production Metering |
| 2103582573 | 2021 | Edwards Aquifer Authority | $100,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Grant Program |
| 2103582574 | 2021 | Mendard County WCID | $65,900 | Irrigation System Improvements | Menard Irrigation Canal Project |
| 2103582575 | 2021 | Middle Pecos GCD | $200,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Advancing Water Conservation in Management Zone 1 |
| 2103582576 | 2021 | North Plains GCD | $250,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Master Irrigator Program Cost Share |
| 210382577 | 2021 | Santa Cruz Irrigation District | $250,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | R-6 Canal Piping Project |
| 1813582256 | 2018 | Culberson County GCD | $50,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Installation of telemetry system, including metering, monitoring, and weather station devices. |
| 1813582257 | 2018 | Delta Lake Irrigation District | $20,000 | Planning & design | Planning and design for canal improvements - water conservation through canal to pipeline conversion. |
| 1813582258 | 2018 | El Paso County WID No. 1 | $50,000 | Planning & design | Designing improvements to the Riverside Canal for improved conveyance and conservation. |
| 1813582259 | 2018 | El Paso County WID No. 1 | $50,000 | Equipment cost share | Expanding the capacity of district telemetry systems to improve water management and conservation. |
| 1813582260 | 2018 | El Paso Water Utilities | $130,000 | Education | Comparison of Drip Irrigation to Flood and Center Pivot Irrigation Systems in Hudspeth County. |
| 1813582261 | 2018 | High Plains UWCD No. 1 | $150,000 | Equipment cost share | Assistance in Irrigation Management (AIM) Program. |
| 1813582262 | 2018 | Wintergarden GCD | $150,000 | Metering | Installation of flow meters on irrigation wells to enable accurate measurement of water use. |
| 1913582343 | 2019 | Cameron County Irrigation District No. 6 | $97,5000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Bennett and Swan Nelson Canal Improvements. |
| 1913582344 | 2019 | El Paso County WID No. 1 | $180,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Franklin Feeder Canal Lining Project. |
| 1913582345 | 2019 | High Plains UWCD No. 1 | $230,000 | Equipment cost share | Assistance in Irrigation Management (AIM) Program. |
| 1913582344 | 2019 | Lake Proctor Irrigation Authority | $70,000 | Equipment cost share | Install an automated control system for a subsurface drip irrigation distribution system. |
| 1913582346 | 2019 | Mesquite GCD | $22,500 | Metering | Irrigation water use measurement. |
| 2013582446 | 2020 | Bayview Irrigation District | $200,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Main Canal Pipe Conversion Project. |
| 2013582447 | 2020 | El Paso County WID No. 1 | $300,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Franklin Canal Lining Project Phase 2. |
| 2013582448 | 2020 | Lower Colorado River Authority | $244,744 | Irrigation System Improvements | Garwood Gate Automation Project. |
| 2013582449 | 2020 | North Plains GCD | $250,000 | Equipment cost share | Master Irrigator Program. |
| 2013582450 | 2020 | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | $200,314 | Research & Education | Education Programs in South Texas. |
| 1613581991 | 2016 | Chambers Liberty Counties Navigation District | $16,000 | Metering | Cost-share of irrigation measurement equipment. |
| 1613581992 | 2016 | Hidalgo County WCID #19 | $64,725 | Metering | Cost-share of irrigation measurement equipment. |
| 1613581994 | 2015 | Sutton County UWCD | $10,000 | Metering | Cost-share of irrigation measurement equipment. |
| 1613581993 | 2016 | North Plains GCD | $15,000 | Education | Efficient irrigation management via a fully integrated system. |
| 1613581996 | 2016 | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension | $150,000 | Education | Lower Rio Grande Valley irrigation education and outreach. |
| 1613581997 | 2016 | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | $120,000 | Education | On-farm irrigation strategies for water conservation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. |
| 1613581995 | 2016 | Texas A&M University | $149,964 | Research | Feasibility study for a statewide evapotranspiration network. |
| 1713582130 | 2017 | Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District | $24,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Purchase and installation of flow measurement devices. |
| 1713582131 | 2017 | Edwards Aquifer Authority | $7,500 | Equipment Cost Share | Voluntary automated meter reading project. |
| 1713582132 | 2017 | Edwards Aquifer Authority | $100,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Groundwater conservation grant program. |
| 1713582135 | 2017 | Lower Colorado River Authority | $90,305 | Equipment Cost Share | Gulf Coast Irrigation Division gate rehabilitation project. |
| 1713582136 | 2017 | Mesquite GCD | $25,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Irrigation water use measurement. |
| 1713582137 | 2017 | North Plains GCD | $100,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Irrigation conservation initiative to cost share equipment and irrigation management tools with participating agricultural producers. |
| 1513581886 | 2015 | North Plains GCD | $295,050 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1713582118 | 2017 | North Plains GCD | $200,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Irrigation conservation initiative to cost share equipment and irrigation management tools with participating agricultural producers. |
| 1713582133 | 2017 | Harlingen Irrigation District | $6,925 | Equipment Cost Share | Meter replacement project. |
| 1713582134 | 2017 | High Plains UWCD #1 | $225,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Producer education and equipment deployment. |
| 1713582135 | 2017 | Lower Colorado River Authority | $90,305 | Equipment Cost Share | Gulf Coast Irrigation Division gate rehabilitation project. |
| 1713582138 | 2017 | Panhandle GCD | $36,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Precision mobile drip irrigation demonstration. |
| 1713582139 | 2017 | Texana GCD | $15,000 | Equipment Cost Share | Groundwater irrigation meter cost share project. |
| 1713582116 | 2017 | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension | $193,799 | Demonstration | Automated system for monitoring soil moisture and controlling irrigation using low-cost microcontrollers on a participating tree farm. |
| 1713582117 | 2017 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville | $199,990 | Demonstration | An alternative approach to irrigation for small scale citrus producers. |
| 1513581886 | 2015 | North Plains GCD | $295,050 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581886 | 2015 | North Plains GCD | $295,050 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581885 | 2015 | South Plains UWCD | $20,000 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581884 | 2015 | Mesa UWCD | $12,500 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581883 | 2015 | Lower Neches Valley Authority | $30,000 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581882 | 2015 | Edwards Aquifer Authority | $22,050 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581860 | 2015 | North Plains GCD | $800,400 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581859 | 2015 | Mesquite GCD | $150,000 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581858 | 2015 | Coastal Bend GCD | $200,000 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581857 | 2015 | Brush Country GCD | $10,000 | Metering | 50 percent cost-share of meters. |
| 1513581823 | 2015 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville | $200,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Demonstrations of improved water conserving irrigation techniques to educate citrus growers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. |
| 1513581822 | 2015 | Gulf Coast Water Authority | $200,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Installation of real-time water use monitoring equipment and implementation of conservation pricing. |
| 1513581821 | 2015 | Cameron County Irrigation District No. 6 | $150,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Open-canal to pipeline replacement project with an agricultural water conservation education seminar for producers. |
| 1413581688 | 2014 | Texas Tech University | $3,600,000 | Demonstrations | Texas Alliance for Water Conservation - $3.6 million appropriated from existing Ag Funds during FY 14 & 15 for continuation of the agricultural demonstration project in the Texas High Plains |
| 1413581737 | 2014 | North Plains GCD | $197,313 | Demonstrations | Demonstrations of irrigation technologies and practices for growers in the Northern High Plains targeting 200 bushels of corn with 12 inches of irrigation water |
| 1413581739 | 2014 | Santa Cruz Irrigation District | $200,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Canal-lining to reduce water loss |
| 1413581738 | 2014 | El Paso County WID No. 1 | $200,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Canal-lining to reduce water loss |
| 1413581736 | 2014 | High Plains UWCD | $617,500 | Metering | Cost-share funding for the purchase of irrigation meters |
| 1413581752 | 2014 | North Plains GCD | $600,000 | Metering | Cost-share funding for the purchase of irrigation meters |
| 1413581751 | 2014 | Panhandle GCD | $107,500 | Metering | Cost-share funding for the purchase of irrigation meters |
| 1413581750 | 2014 | Mesquite GCD | $150,000 | Metering | Cost-share funding for the purchase of irrigation meters |
| 1413581753 | 2014 | Coastal Bend GCD | $25,000 | Metering | Cost-share funding for the purchase of irrigation meters |
| 1313581612 | 2013 | UT - Bureau of Economic Geology | $194,029 | Research | Feasibility and assessment of remote sensing technologies to assist with estimating irrigation water use in Texas |
| 1313581611 | 2013 | Lower Neches Valley Authority | $100,000 | Metering | Irrigation measurement - purchase and installation of metering equipment in the Devers Canal System |
| 1313581610 | 2013 | Lower Colorado River Authority | $101,700 | Irrigation System Improvements | Installation and automation of canal check gate structures in the LCRA Gulf Coast Irrigation Division |
| 1313581609 | 2013 | Harlingen Irrigation District | $200,000 | Irrigation System Improvements | Efficiency improvements to the irrigation conveyance system, including replacement of concrete laterals with pipelines |
| 1213581479 | 2012 | Coastal Bend GCD | $25,000 | Metering | Agriculture Water Conservation Grant for metering. |
| 1213581480 | 2012 | Mesquite GCD | $50,000 | Metering | Agriculture Water Conservation Grant for metering. |
| 1213581481 | 2012 | Panhandle Regional Planning Commission | $200,000 | Education | Educational outreach and training for targeted users of the Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration Network for use in irrigation scheduling. |
| 1213581482 | 2012 | Texas A&M University – Kingsville | $136,982 | Demonstration | Demonstration of improved water conserving irrigation techniques to educate citrus growers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. |
| 1103581250 | 2011 | Colorado County Groundwater Conservation District | $50,000 | Metering | Agriculture Water Conservation Grant for metering |
| 1103581251 | 2011 | Hemphill County Underground Water Conservation District | $10,373 | Metering | Agriculture Water Conservation Grant for metering |
| 1103581253 | 2011 | Texas AgriLife Research | $77,208 | Demonstrations | Demonstrations of irrigation efficiency improvements |
| 1103581252 | 2011 | North Plains Groundwater Conservation District | $250,000 | Demonstrations | Demonstrations of irrigation efficiency improvements |
| 1103581254 | 2011 | Texas Tech University | $101,049 | Audits | Irrigation System Audits |
| 1003581095 | 2010 | El Paso County WCID No. 1 | $50,000 | Metering | Delivery of flow and soil water content measurements to farmers for improved irrigation water management. |
| 1003581096 | 2010 | Hemphill County UWCD | $36,491 | Metering | Irrigation Water Use Metering |
| 1003581097 | 2010 | Medina County GCD | $60,000 | Metering | Irrigation Water Use Metering |
| 1003581101 | 2010 | Panhandle GCD | $63,375 | Metering | Irrigation Water Use Metering |
| 1003581099 | 2010 | Sandy Land UWCD | $11,000 | Education | Conservation Education and Public Awareness |
| 1003581100 | 2010 | Texas AgriLife Extension | $57,321 | Education | Youth education on rainwater harvesting and agricultural irrigation training for small acreage landowners. |
| 1003581101 | 2010 | Panhandle GCD | $127,300 | Audits | Irrigation System Audits |
| 1003581102 | 2010 | Sandy Land UWCD | $47,801 | Audits | Irrigation System Audits |
| 0903580957 | 2009 | Texas AgriLife Research | $275,000 | Research | Estimation of irrigated land use using time-integrated remotely sensed data. The 4 pilot projects have been identified. |
| 0903580956 | 2009 | Texas AgriLife Research | $99,076 | Education | Educational enhancements to the TX High Plains Evapo-transpiration Network. |
| 0903580958 | 2009 | Panhandle GCD | $125,000 | Research | Economic impacts of the 50/50 management standard for use of Ogallala Aquifer. Addendum |
| 0903580955 | 2009 | Lower Colorado River Authority | $99,219 | Technology Transfer | Garwood Irrigation Division volumetric measurement equipment. |
| 0903580882 | 2008 | Harlingen Irrigation District | $249,015 | Technology Transfer | Designed, developed, and demonstrated innovative technologies including automatic gates and a soil moisture sensor telemetry system. |
| 0903580904 | 2008 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $198,835 | Research | Assessment of Texas Evapotranspiration (ET) Networks include site visits and sensor degradation analyses. |
| 0903580884 | 2008 | Panhandle GCD | $149,968 | Metering | Purchased and installed 159 flow meters and 27 telemetry devices. |
| 0703580719 | 2007 | Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board | $100,000 | Other | Supplemented statewide technical assistance to implement agricultural water conservation Best Management Practices. |
| 0703580721 | 2007 | Uvalde County UWCD | $68,992 | Metering | Purchased and installed 112 flow meters. |
| 0703580720 | 2007 | Mesa UWCD | $35,729 | Metering | Purchased and installed 23 flow meters, 16 dataloggers and 1 portable flowmeter and construction of 3 monitoring wells. |
| 0603580592 | 2006 | Texas Cooperative Extension | $100,000 | Demonstrations | AgriPartners Program employed 5 farm demonstration assistants to monitor irrigation water use from 44 field demonstration sites. Producer-to-producer education was disseminated. |
| 0603580596 | 2006 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $250,000 | Demonstrations | Precision Irrigation Network (II) in Wintergarden and Texas High Plains. A total of 45 field demonstration sites were developed to promote deficit irrigation methods and validate CropMan model. |
| 0603580605 | 2006 | Texas Cooperative Extension | $250,000 | Education | Irrigation Training Program for agricultural producers. Two versions of training curriculum were developed and 6 training events were conducted. Over 200 producers and governmental staff attended training. |
| 0503580024 | 2005 | Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board | $100,000 | Other | Supplemented technical assistance for statewide irrigation water conservation practices. 199 Soil and Water Conservation Districts participated in the program. |
| 0503580023 | 2005 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $150,000 | Demonstrations | Precision Irrigation Network in the Wintergarden and Texas High Plains. Field demonstrations sites were established with drip systems and soil moisture sensors. A Decision Support System was developed for enhancing the use of evapo-transpiration tools by the cooperating producers. |
| 2005358021 | 2005 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $85,265 | Research | High yielding, short season, and stress tolerant varieties of corn were tested. Research showed that irrigation water use could be reduced without yield reduction for Texas High Plains. |
| 0503580025 | 2005 | Post Oak Savanah GCD | $6,562 | Metering | Purchased and utilized a portable flow meter with thickness gauge to measure unmetered irrigation wells. |
| 2005358018 | 2005 | Sandy Land UWCD | $41,093 | Demonstrations | Drip irrigation system on cotton in Yoakum County. Demonstrated that 34.75 acre feet of water could be saved and also increase production. |
| 0503580020 | 2005 | Tule Creek SWCD | $1,050 | Metering | Purchased and utilized a portable flow meter with thickness gauge to measure unmetered irrigation wells. |
| 0503580019 | 2005 | Lower Neches Valley Authority | $61,000 | Metering | Purchased and installed laser levelling and metering equipment. |
| 0503580014 | 2005 | Texas Tech University | $6,224,775 | Demonstrations | Texas Alliance for Water Conservation - agricultural water conservation demonstration project in the Texas High Plains |
| 0503580013 | 2005 | Harlingen Irrigation District | $3,775,225 | Demonstrations | Texas Project for Ag Water Efficiency - agricultural water conservation demonstration project in the Lower Rio Grande Valley |
| 0503580022 | 2005 | Coastal Bend GWCD | $50,000 | Metering | Purchased and installed 62 flow meters. |
| 2005358016 | 2005 | Texas Cooperative Extension | $45,000 | Demonstrations | Nursery industry water use and utilization of Best Management Practices. A survey of water use data from the nursery/floral industry and field days were conducted. |
| 2004358004 | 2004 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $40,600 | Demonstrations | Demonstration of drip irrigation systems at Uvalde Research & Extension Center. Drip Irrigation system for forage crops, vegetable crops, and for Bermuda grass were installed and demonstrated to producers. |
| 2004358005 | 2004 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $100,000 | Demonstrations | Statewide competitive small grants program for demonstrating agricultural water conservation Best Management Practices. Texas Water Resources Institute administered the award to 10 recipients and supervised their research activities. |
| 2004358008 | 2004 | Texas Agricultural Experiment Station | $44,400 | Technology Transfer | Operational support and technological upgrades for the Texas High Plains Evapotranspiration (ET) Network. A new database was developed and a listserv mechanism was established to disseminate ET data to users. |
| 2004358001 | 2004 | Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board | $115,000 | Other | Supplement of the statewide technical assistance program to agricultural producers. A total of 197 Soil and Water Conservation Districts participated in the program and identified areas of potential water savings. |
| 0403580003 | 2004 | Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2 | $50,000 | Technology Transfer | Purchased and installed 11 pressure transducers, 11 gates, and a telemetry system to monitor gates. |
| 0403580002 | 2004 | High Plains UWCD No. 1 | $20,000 | Metering | Purchased and installed 15 flowmeters. |
| 2004358011 | 2004 | Uvalde County UWCD | $54,000 | Research | Installation and research on 2 weighing Lysimeters at Uvalde Research & Extension Center. Crop coefficients were developed for corn, spinach, onions, cotton, and wheat. |
| 0403580012 | 2004 | La Feria Irrigation District | $25,000 | Technology Transfer | Purchased & installed an open channel device to calibrate flow meters and includes telemetry system. |
| 043580006 | 2004 | Sandy Land UWCD | $51,800 | Demonstrations | Drip Irrigation system installed in 60 acres for watermelons. Demonstrated that 54 acre feet of water could be potentially saved as compared with sprinkler irrigation system. |
| 0403580010 | 2004 | North Plains GCD | $23,500 | Demonstrations | Procured and installed a new center pivot system with dual nozzling options for research and demonstration. |