Quantifying the impacts of the conservation effects assessment project watershed assessments: The first fifteen years

Authors: Moriasi, Daniel; DURIANCIK, LISA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA); Sadler, Edward; Tsegaye, Teferi; STEINER, JEAN - Kansas State University; Locke, Martin; Strickland, Timothy - Tim; OSMOND, DEANNA - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2020
Publication Date: 5/12/2020
Citation: Moriasi, D.N., Duriancik, L.F., Sadler, E.J., Tsegaye, T.D., Steiner, J.L., Locke, M.A., Strickland, T.C., Osmond, D.L. 2020. Quantifying the impacts of the conservation effects assessment project watershed assessments: The first fifteen years. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 75(3):57-74. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.75.3.57A.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.75.3.57A

Interpretive Summary: The USDA spends about $6 billion per year on agricultural conservation programs to help producers and landowners implement suitable conservation practices (CPs) and systems on their land. In 2003, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) collaborated with USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and other agencies to create the Conservations Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices (CPs) and programs and develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape for environmental quality. Since its inception, accomplishments and findings of related to CEAP projects have been published. This article builds on these previous efforts and introduces fifteen research papers and one additional feature article in a special issue that focuses on the findings of the ARS Benchmark and other CEAP watersheds during the first 15 years of CEAP watershed assessments. This article also presents a brief synthesis of CEAP research impacts mainly in ARS Benchmark and NIFA-CEAP watersheds and highlights some key CEAP-developed technologies. The paper will summarize measured or modeled effects of CPs, the scales at which the effects have been detected, and how these CEAP findings have served as a feedback mechanism to improve agricultural conservation programs and assessment approaches. Finally, a brief description of future CEAP direction is provided.

Technical Abstract: The USDA spends about $6 billion per year on agricultural conservation programs to help producers and landowners implement suitable conservation practices (CPs) and systems on their land. In 2003, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) collaborated with USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and other agencies to create the Conservations Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices (CPs) and programs and develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape for environmental quality. Since its inception, accomplishments and findings of related to CEAP projects have been published. This article builds on these previous efforts and introduces fifteen research papers and one additional feature article in a special issue that focuses on the findings of the ARS Benchmark and other CEAP watersheds during the first 15 years of CEAP watershed assessments. This article also presents a brief synthesis of CEAP research impacts mainly in ARS Benchmark and NIFA-CEAP watersheds and highlights some key CEAP-developed technologies. The paper will summarize measured or modeled effects of CPs, the scales at which the effects have been detected, and how these CEAP findings have served as a feedback mechanism to improve agricultural conservation programs and assessment approaches. Finally, a brief description of future CEAP direction is provided.