USDA-ARS researchers and partners from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the University of Arizona developed a new computer model and tool that helps keep our nation's watersheds cleaner. More than 80 percent of our fresh water comes from watersheds. Watersheds collect water from various sources—like rain, snow, or runoff—which drains into nearby waterways such as lakes, streams and rivers.

The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool is a multipurpose computer system and software designed for managing and analyzing water quantity and quality. Prior to AGWA, no such tool existed. Today, there are more than 1,600 registered users in 146 countries.

AGWA can be used to predict land management practices on water. For example, AGWA can estimate the trends and magnitude of soil sediment effects and chemical yields. Land use in our nation's watersheds is complex and varied—ranging from crop production areas to rangelands, pastures, forests, meadows and even urban areas. How we manage the activities that take place on watersheds influences the quantity and quality of water available for domestic, industrial, agricultural and ecological uses. For the first time, decision makers, land managers, farmers, environmentalists and others have a single, comprehensive tool that can provide a long-range model to evaluate large, complex watersheds with varying soils, land uses and management conditions—and their related environmental and economic impact. AGWA is available free of charge at: www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/agwa.

EPA and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service specialists use AGWA to develop sound policies for managing water. This technology supports the USDA Secretary's water priorities.

Scientific Contact:

David Goodrich
dave.goodrich@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (520) 670-6381, ext. 144