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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #269140
Title: Integrating watershed– and farm–scale models to target critical source areas while maintaining farm economic viability

Author
item GHEBREMICHAEL, LULA - Pennsylvania State University
item Veith, Tameria - Tamie

Submitted to: Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/13/2011
Publication Date: 9/25/2011
Citation: Ghebremichael, L.T., Veith, T.L. 2011. Integrating watershed– and farm–scale models to target critical source areas while maintaining farm economic viability. In: Medley, N., Paterson, G., and Parker, M. L., editors. Fourth Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds. September 25-30 2011, Fairbanks, Alaska, p. 101-105.

Interpretive Summary: An interpretive summary is not required.

Technical Abstract: Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture and the impacts of mitigating best management practices are commonly evaluated based on hydrologic boundaries using watershed models. However, management practice effectiveness is impacted by which of the feasible practices are actually selected, implemented, and maintained. It is increasingly recognized that alternative management practices to mitigate nutrient losses from agricultural watersheds are applied at the field and farm levels and are usually selected and maintained at the farm level. To be successful, watershed- and farm-scale models must be combined in such a way that environmental concerns, such as identification and mitigation of critical source areas, are addressed while farmers’ production systems are maintained or improved. This study develops a modeling framework for integrating watershed- and farm-scale models that is based on experience from numerous location specific studies at both scales in the northeastern United States. The framework is illustrated through case study examples and considerations for application of the framework to other sites and regions are discussed.