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Title: Transition pathways to sustainable agricultural water management: A review of integrated modeling approaches

Author
item HAACKER, ERIN - University Of Nebraska
item SHARDA, VAISHALI - University Of Nebraska
item CANO, AMANDA - Texas Tech University
item HROZENCIK, AARON - University Of Nebraska
item NUNEZ, AGUSTIN - Instituto Nacional De Investigacion Argropecuaria, Urugary
item ZAMBRESKI, ZACHARY - Kansas State University
item NOZARI, SOHEIL - Colorado State University
item SMITH, GARVEY - Colorado State University
item MOORE, LACEY - Colorado State University
item SHARMA, SUMIT - Oklahoma State University
item Gowda, Prasanna
item RAY, CHITTARANJAN - University Of Nebraska
item SCHIPANSKI, MEAGAN - Colorado State University
item WASKOM, REAGAN - Colorado State University

Submitted to: Journal of the American Water Resources Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2018
Publication Date: 2/1/2019
Citation: Haacker, E.M., Sharda, V., Cano, A.M., Hrozencik, A.R., Nunez, A., Zambreski, Z., Nozari, S., Smith, G.E., Moore, L., Sharma, S., Gowda, P.H., Ray, C., Schipanski, M., Waskom, R. 2019. Transition pathways to sustainable agricultural water management: A review of integrated modeling approaches. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 55(1): 6-23. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12722.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12722

Interpretive Summary: Agricultural water management is an interdisciplinary concern, cutting across traditional domains such as agronomy, climatology, geology, economics, and sociology. Each of these disciplines has developed numerous models for agricultural water management. As computers become more powerful, scientists and practitioners are choosing to integrate existing models to improve our capability to account for all major processes and disciplines rather than building new cross-disciplinary models. In this study, we conducted a thorough literature review to identify and discuss existing integrated modeling methodologies for managing water resources for production agriculture. We also examples from the Ogallala aquifer region to discuss research opportunities and challenges associated with integrated modeling methodologies.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural water management is an interdisciplinary concern, cutting across traditional domains such as agronomy, climatology, geology, economics, and sociology. Each of these disciplines has developed process-based and empirical models for agricultural water management, and as computers become more powerful, more researchers are choosing to integrate existing models rather than building new cross-disciplinary models. Model integration carries the hope that, as in a real system, the sum of the model will be greater than the parts. However, models based upon simplified and unrealistic assumptions of physical or empirical processes can generate misleading results which are not useful for informing policy. In this article, we use examples from the High Plains Aquifer to elucidate the challenges and opportunities associated with integrated modeling for agricultural water management and recommend conditions in which to use integrated models. Additionally, we examine the potential contributions of integrated modeling to agricultural water management - the actual practice of conserving water while maximizing productivity.