Applications Open for Ag Water Conservation Grants

Applications for the Texas Water Development Board’s (TWDB) 2026 Agricultural Water Conservation Grants are open through March 18.

Up to $1.5 million in grant funding is available for agricultural water conservation projects that improve irrigation efficiency, enhance resilience to weather extremes and climate variability and promote agricultural innovation.

“The Agricultural Water Conservation Grants is a state-funded program that helps protect Texas’ water future by offering competitive grant funds for projects and programs that support agricultural water conservation strategies in the state and regional water plants,” said Marla Heger, TWDB manager of the Agricultural Water Conservation department.

Since the program started in 1985, it has supported hundreds of projects statewide, resulting in water savings totaling thousands of acre-feet.

Conservation programs and projects that support agricultural irrigation conservation strategies in alignment with the state water plan and demonstrate agricultural water conservation best management practices may apply.

“Funding focuses on improving irrigation efficiency and resilience to water extremes, and certainly we have no shortage of weather extremes here in Texas,” Heger said. “By reducing water loss and increasing precision agriculture, this program helps producers withstand those hotter and drier conditions we often have, while still safeguarding water supplies across the state.”

The grants play a critical role in supporting rural Texas, Heger noted, where agriculture remains a cornerstone in local economies.

“These grants give producers access to modern technology and conservation practices, which help them remain productive while using water more efficiently,” Heger said. “That, in turn, strengthens local economies and supports agriculture’s long-term viability, even as drought pressures increase.”

Projects funded through the program have covered a wide range of conservation efforts. These include irrigation system upgrades such as drip irrigation and pivot improvements, soil moisture monitoring technology, irrigation scheduling tools and canal-to-pipe conversions.

“These grants directly support conservation strategies identified in the state and regional water plans, which ensures investments benefit all Texans,” Heger said. “Water-saving agriculture helps protect community supplies, supports ecosystems and strengthens long-term drought resilience.”

Projects that receive grants must adhere to the Texas Administrative Code Title 31, Chapter 367.

More information about the Agricultural Water Conservation Grants program, previously funded projects and the application process is available on the TWDB website.