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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Water Management and Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281203
Title: ArgoEcoSystem-watershed (AgES-W) model evaluation for streamflow and nitrogen/sediment dynamics on a midwest agricultural watershed

Author
item Ascough Ii, James
item DAVID, OLAF - Colorado State University
item Smith, Douglas
item KIPKA, HOLM - Colorado State University
item FINK, MANFRED - Friedrick-Schiller University
item Green, Timothy
item KRAUSE, PETER - Friedrick-Schiller University
item McMaster, Gregory
item KRALISCH, SVEN - Friedrick-Schiller University
item Ahuja, Lajpat

Submitted to: Environmental Modeling International Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2012
Publication Date: 12/6/2012
Citation: Ascough II, J.C., David, O., Smith, D.R., Kipka, H., Fink, M., Green, T.R., Krause, P., Mcmaster, G.S., Kralisch, S., Ahuja, L.R. 2012. ArgoEcoSystem-watershed (AgES-W) model evaluation for streamflow and nitrogen/sediment dynamics on a midwest agricultural watershed. In: Seppelt, R., Voinov, A.A., Lange, S., and Bankamp, D. editors,Proceedings of the Sixth Biennial Meetinf or the International Environmental Modeling and Software Society, Managing Resources of a Limited Planet: Pathways and Visions Under Uncertainty, July 1-5, 2012, Leipzig, Germany. p. 2179-2186.

Interpretive Summary: AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) is a modular, Java-based hydrologic/water quality simulation model implemented under the Object Modeling System Version 3 (OMS3). The AgES-W model was previously evaluated for streamflow and recently has been enhanced with the addition of nitrogen (N) and sediment modeling components refactored from various agroecosystem models including J2K-S, SWAT, WEPP, and RZWQM2. The specific objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of the enhanced AgES-W model for uncalibrated estimation of streamflow and N/sediment loading. The Upper Cedar Creek Watershed (CCW) in northeastern Indiana, USA was selected for model application. AgES-W model performance was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (ENS) and percent bias (PBIAS) model evaluation criteria. Comparisons of simulated and observed average monthly streamflow, average monthly N loading, and daily sediment load for different simulation periods resulted in ENS and PBIAS values that were within the range of those reported in the literature for SWAT streamflow and N/sediment loading predictions at a similar scale and time step.

Technical Abstract: AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) is a modular, Java-based spatially distributed model which implements hydrologic/water quality simulation components under the Object Modeling System Version 3 (OMS3). The AgES-W model was previously evaluated for streamflow and recently has been enhanced with the addition of nitrogen (N) and sediment modeling components refactored from various agroecosystem models including J2K-S, SWAT, WEPP, and RZWQM2. The specific objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of the enhanced AgES-W model for uncalibrated estimation of streamflow and N/sediment loading. The Upper Cedar Creek Watershed (CCW) in northeastern Indiana, USA was selected for model application. AgES-W model performance was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (ENS) and percent bias (PBIAS) model evaluation criteria. Comparisons of simulated and observed average monthly streamflow, average monthly N loading, and daily sediment load for different simulation periods resulted in ENS and PBIAS values that were within the range of those reported in the literature for SWAT streamflow and N/sediment loading predictions at a similar scale and time step. Considering that AgES-W was applied without calibration, study results indicate that the model reasonably reproduced the hydrological, N, and sediment dynamics of the Upper CCW and should serve as a foundation upon which to better quantify additional water quality indicators (e.g., phosphorus dynamics) at the watershed scale.