Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework: Watershed applications, research opportunities, and training resources

Authors: LEWANDOWSKI, ANN - University Of Minnesota; Tomer, Mark; BUCHANAN, JANET - Heartlands Conservancy; KIEL, ADAM - Iowa Soybean Association; SLOAN, JOHN - National Great Rivers Research & Education Center; OLSON, LINDSAY - Dunn County Environmental Service; POWER, REBECCA - University Of Wisconsin

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2019
Publication Date: 7/6/2020
Citation: Lewandowski, A.M., Tomer, M.D., Buchanan, J.I., Kiel, A., Sloan, J.J., Olson, L.M., Power, R.L. 2020. Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework: Watershed applications, research opportunities, and training resources. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 75:427-433. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2020.00073.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2020.00073

Interpretive Summary: The Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) is an approach to precision conservation for agricultural watershed planning. The ACPF provides watershed data with detailed information on land use, soil survey and topography, which, are analyzed using a set of geographic software programs to identify conservation practice placement options for water quality improvement. A variety of conservation practices can be sited by these program, providing planning options to engage farmers and watershed stakeholders in local conservation efforts. This article provides an overview of four research articles, two features, and a research editorial that are part of a special section of this journal. These papers describe new features in ACPF version 3, released in late 2018, describe research from multi-watershed ACPF analyses, discuss watershed planning approaches that have utilized the ACPF, and evaluate farmer perceptions of ACPF results for their farms. This overview article describes the history and development of the ACPF, and its role in a watershed approach to agricultural conservation, training and support for the ACPF, and identifies future challenges that can be anticipated as the ACPF is trialed outside the upper Midwest. Several watershed case studies are presented that were part of a symposium during the SWCS Annual Conference in 2017. The ACPF was developed by USDA Agricultural Research Service with support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is in the public domain, and is available, along with support and training resources, through www.acpf4watersheds.org. Broader adaptation in using the ACPF as a platform for watershed planning, modeling, and research is encouraged. These ACPF articles will be of interest to a variety of people interested in agricultural water quality and watershed planning activities.

Technical Abstract: The Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) is an approach to precision conservation for agricultural watershed planning, which is supported by high-resolution watershed data providing spatial detail on land use, soil survey and topography, which, in turn, are analyzed using an ArcGIS toolbox to identify conservation practice placement options for water quality improvement. A variety of conservation practice placements are identified by the software, which can be presented as planning options to engage farmers and watershed stakeholders in local conservation efforts. This special section comprises four research articles, two features, a research editorial, ant this overview article. These papers describe new features in ACPF version 3, released in late 2018, describe research from multi-watershed ACPF analyses, discuss watershed planning approaches that have utilized the ACPF, and evaluate farmer perceptions of ACPF results for their farms. This overview article describes the history and development of the ACPF, and its role in a watershed approach to agricultural conservation, training and support for the ACPF, and identifies future challenges that can be anticipated as the ACPF is trialed outside the upper Midwest. Several watershed case studies are presented that were part of a symposium during the SWCS Annual Conference in 2017. The ACPF was developed by USDA Agricultural Research Service with support from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, is in the public domain, and is available, along with support and training resources, through www.acpf4watersheds.org. Broader adaptation in using the ACPF as a platform for watershed planning, modeling, and research is encouraged.