Soil for Water

Working to catch and hold more water in our soil

About Soil for Water

Soil for Water, a program of the National Center for Appropriate Technology, is building a dynamic community of people curious about water and soil practices that create resilient, profitable agricultural systems.  

We seek and welcome collaboration with groups and individuals that share our mission. Please join us in catching and holding more water in the soil. 

Keep reading about Soil for Water…

REGENERATOR’S ATLAS

Plant your flag on the Regenerator’s Atlas of America to share your story. Commercial producers only, please.

FORUM

Join a wide-ranging conversation about the power and potential of the “soil sponge.” All are welcome.

JOIN THE NETWORK

Get news, discounts, invitations to members-only educational events, and free help setting up a “safe-to-fail” trial on your farm or ranch.  Commercial producers only, please.

The Latest

Photo of Guille Yearwood
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New Publications Showcase Success Stories of Regenerative Grazing in the South

Regenerative grazing that builds soil health and improves water infiltration and storage holds great promise for livestock producers coping with unpredictable climatic conditions, but it has been slow to catch on in the southern United States. In…
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Regenerative Grazing in the South: Changing Attitudes and Gaining Ground

By Mike Morris, NCAT Agriculture Specialist “When I was in college, I was taught that you fed hay and grain, and the pasture was just something you put the animals out on to look pretty, or just to get a little bit of supplement. I had to…
Crops being watered by irrigationCanva Pro
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Soil for Water Video Case Studies

In this video, Eric Benfeldt, an Extension Specialist with Virginia Cooperative Extension, introduces the Soil for Water Video Case Studies series. The purpose of this systems research project led by National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)…

Regenerator’s Atlas of America

“Water retention is paramount for us. We need to be able to capture as much water as we can and, if it all comes at once, we need to slow it down.”

“Even under the hardest drought conditions, there are management steps that people can take that will allow them to stay on their ranches and be sustainable over the long haul.” 

“Your soil health is going to keep you in business. If you take care of your soil, the land will give back to you in terms of the productivity.” 

“The Soil for Water program offers a chance to learn new things and to apply it to your land and to improve.” 

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Don’t miss a thing. Sign up for the Soil for Water  mailing list, and we’ll keep you informed about project news and events. 

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Kara Kroeger and Peggy Sechrist

Soil for Water Forum

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Regenerative Journeys

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Chelenzo Farms: A High Mountain Desert Oasis

By Darron Gaus  Chelenzo Farms began from the unique relocation of a physician and a writer from New York during the height of the pandemic. Health concerns and a need for a cleaner lifestyle motivated Chelsea Hollander and Lorenzo Dominguez…

High Hope Farm: Regenerative Agriculture in Action 

Keeping the ground covered year-round also keeps the soil's temperature noticeably cooler during hot Mississippi summers. These are all indications of a healthy soil sponge that captures, holds, and uses water more efficiently.

A Conversation with Guille Yearwood

“When you graze a pasture continuously, you have no idea how much grass you have because its continually disappearing.” After Guille switched to rotational grazing, his paddocks would look like a hayfield four weeks after grazing. This, in his words, “is totally different and totally better.”