Who Manages Vital Natural Resources in Our Daily Lives?

While special districts cover a wide range of services for the public sector, let’s explore those like water supply and flood control that conserve, promote and develop natural resources.

The 2022 Census of Governments – Organization publication shows that 16,020 or 41% of the nation’s 39,555 special district governments in 2022 supported parts of the economy related to natural resources.

In comparison, there were fewer (38,542) special district governments in 2017 but slightly more (16,145) devoted to natural resources.

In general, the number of natural resources special districts remained relatively consistent over the five-year period.

Everyone can appreciate that irrigation and proper water management are critical functions for stable agriculture. The Census of Governments captures several types of these special districts that you may not be aware of, some unique to a geographic region.

• Acequias (ah-SAY-kee-Yuhs):
  In the U.S. Southwest, specifically in southern Colorado and parts of New Mexico, acequias are vital to communities’ water operations.
  
  Acequias are special district governments that are community-operated irrigation canals which provide water for domestic and industrial use. Each community that borders an acequia is entitled to use the water and commits to provide the regular maintenance and repairs. An acequia commission (led by a superintendent or mayordomo) oversees the acequia’s operations of the acequia and distribution of the water.
  
  The hydrology of acequias benefits ecological health and farming production and maintains groundwater levels. They are the oldest water management system in the United States. The Census Bureau typically classifies these as drainage or irrigation districts.
  
  
• Tax Ditch Districts:
  Prevalent on the East Coast, particularly in Delaware and Maryland, tax ditch districts are another type of natural resources special district that oversee drainage of agricultural lands and water management for resource conservation purposes.
  
  The Census of Governments counts over 200 tax ditch districts in Delaware, ranging in size from a small two-acre system in Wilmington to 56,000 acres in west central Delaware. These districts manage over 2,000 miles of water channels and provide benefits to over 100,000 people, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Government Organization tables provide information about the number of active local governments by type, function, and by state. The data published in August 2023 includes 11 tables of data on local government counts from the 2022 Census of Governments. 

Coming in Spring 2024, the Census Bureau will release detailed descriptions of the responsibilities and authorities of local governments in each state and the District of Columbia in the 2022 Individual State Descriptions report.