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

Adopting Water-Smart Practices in the Rio Grande Valley

By Katelyn Amador, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley The Hub of Prosperity is an urban 5-acre farm managed by sustainable agriculture students like me at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. At the Hub, alongside…

NCAT Soil for Water Mississippi: Learning Together 

By Luz Ballesteros Gonzalez and Felicia Bell, NCAT Agriculture Specialists When you have common goals, things align much easier and faster. This is what has been happening in Mississippi through the MS Holistic Management International (HMI)…
Sunn hemp

Retaining Soil Moisture at Lighthouse Herb’n Farm

By Luz Ballesteros Gonzalez, NCAT Agriculture Specialist When will it rain again? How much will it rain? These questions are becoming more common—while such uncertainty has always existed, it’s now more prevalent. In the wake of unpredictable…

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.” 

Sign Up for Information

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. 

Kara Kroeger and Peggy Sechrist

Soil for Water Forum

  • Browse Forum Topics

  • Login to Participate

  • Connect with Regenerative Farmers, Ranchers

Regenerative Journeys

Montesino Ranch Wedding Venue

Montesino Ranch: A modern multi-use operation

The Montesino Ranch not only borders the Blanco River, it also sits just outside of Wimberley, Texas, a popular destination for tourists. Montesino is a small 225 acre ranch that thrives via a multi-enterprise management approach. Income enterprises include weddings, B&B studio rentals, a small organic vegetable farm, and a herd of miniature Hereford Cattle.
Fielding Ranch

Fielding Ranch: A new paradigm in management

The Fielding Ranch lies along the banks of the Pedernales River near Johnson City, Texas. Pam Fielding participated in Holistic Management International (HMI) educational events for several years growing an interest in a new paradigm for ranch…
Emery Birdwell Deborah Clark Birdwell Clark Ranch Soil Inspection USDA NRCS TexasUSDA NRCS

Birdwell & Clark: A couple on a mission to regenerate

Birdwell and Clark Ranch, a stocker operation, is a 11,700-acre ranch of tall grass prairie, river bottoms and brushy draws located in north central Texas in Clay County. Emry Birdwell studied under Allan Savory in the 1980s learning the benefits…