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Title: AN ARS DATA SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING CONSERVATION PRACTICES IN WATERSHED STUDIES

Author
item CHEN, JIN SONG
item STEINER, JEAN
item SADLER, EDWARD

Submitted to: Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2006
Publication Date: 7/1/2006
Citation: Chen, J., Steiner, J.L., Sadler, E.J. 2006. An ARS data system for assessing conservation practices in watershed studies. In: Proceedings of the 2nd Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, May 15-18, 2006, Cowetta Hydro Lab, NC. p. 25-31.

Interpretive Summary: To support the recently established Conservation Effects Assessment Project in assessing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs and practices, a team located at several Agricultural Research Service (ARS) locations is developing a web-based watershed data system. The data system, named STEWARDS (Sustaining the Earth’s Watersheds – Agricultural Research Data System), consists of four parts: databases (data description, measured data, and images/maps), servers, users and ARS research watersheds (data sources). The system specification document has been completed and system design is underway. The fully implemented data system will organize and document soil, water, climate, land-management, and socio-economic data from twelve benchmark ARS research watersheds and provide data search, visualization and downloads to users. A case study is presented to illustrate the features of STEWARDS in facilitating water quality data visualization.

Technical Abstract: To support ARS’s recently established Conservation Effects Assessment Project in assessing U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs and practices, a team located at several ARS locations is developing a web-based watershed data system named STEWARDS. The data system consists of four components: databases (metadata, measured data, and GIS layers), servers, clients (users) and ARS research watersheds (data sources). The system requirements document has been completed and system design is underway. The fully implemented data system will organize and document soil, water, climate, land-management, and socio-economic data from fourteen benchmark ARS research watersheds and provide data search, visualization and downloads to users. A case study using a prototype is used to illustrate the functionalities of STEWARDS in facilitating water quality data visualization.