Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #200632
Title: USDA-AnnAGNPS Model Capabilities and Applications for Watershed Conservation Planning

Author
item YUAN, YONGPING - UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
item Bingner, Ronald - Ron

Submitted to: International Symposium on Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/2006
Publication Date: 10/1/2006
Citation: Yuan, Y., Bingner, R.L. 2006. USDA-AnnAGNPS Model Capabilities and Applications for Watershed Conservation Planning. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming, October 1-5, 2006, Yangling, China. CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary: The development of management practices used to reduce pollutants produced from agricultural fields entering stream systems is critical in improving overall watershed water quality. The evaluation of the effectiveness of conservation management practices is difficult because of the long-term data collection effort needed for this throughout a watershed system. In order to better assess conservation practices, computer simulation modeling technology has been developed to evaluate the amount of pollutants entering stream systems and what their source is within watersheds. In addition, this technology serves as an aid in determining the most effective conservation practices applied within watershed systems needed to minimize any downstream impacts on water quality. This study describes the applications and capabilities of the USDA Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution model (AnnAGNPS) for various watersheds throughout the U.S. Enhancements to the model are discussed for non-point source pollution control including issues that address ephemeral gully erosion, controlled drainage, riparian buffers, and frozen precipitation and soil conditions for the high-priority needs of USDA Conservation Effect Assessment Project (CEAP) watershed studies. The watershed studies with AnnAGNPS provides critical information to management that will assist in assessing the effectiveness of USDA’s conservation programs as a result of the various Farm Bills that have been enacted over since 1985.

Technical Abstract: The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollutant Loading (AnnAGNPS) model has been developed as a planning tool used in the evaluation of watershed responses to agricultural management practices. Since the first release of the continuous, daily time step, watershed scale version of AnnAGNPS in 1998, the model has been widely utilized by various organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), state agencies and other international agencies to estimate the impact of agricultural management practices on non-point source pollution for watershed conservation planning. This paper discusses the capabilities of the model for watershed planning, including current features, and features under development to address the high-priority needs of the USDA Conservation Effect Assessment Project (CEAP) and USEPA watershed studies for non-point source pollution control such as ephemeral gully erosion, controlled drainage, riparian buffers, soil water content enhancement to address irrigation, soil temperature enhancement to address frozen precipitation and soils, and nutrient enhancement to address manure management.