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Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) Documentation Version 2.0
Citation:
Burns, I. S., S. N. Scott, L. R. Levick, D. Semmens, S. N. Miller, M. Hernandez, D. C. Goodrich, AND W. G. KEPNER. Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) Documentation Version 2.0. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/C-07/015 (NTIS PB2008-105118), 2007.
Impact/Purpose:
AGWA (all versions) is designed as a tool for performing relative assessment (change analysis) resulting from land cover/use change. Areas identified through large-scale assessment with SWAT as being most susceptible to change can be evaluated in more detail at smaller scales with KINEROS2. Results can be visualized as percent or absolute change for a variety of output and derived parameters. These features are intended to assist resource managers in identifying the most important areas for watershed restoration efforts and preventative measures.
Description:
The Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Http://www.epa.gov/nerlesd1/landsci/agwa/introduction.htm and www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/agwa) tool is a GIS interface jointly developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, University of Arizona, and University of Wyoming to automate the parameterization and execution of the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and KINEmatic Runoff and EROSion (KINEROS2) hydrologic models. By employing these two models AGWA can conduct hydrologic modeling and watershed assessments at multiple time and space scales. AGWA uses commonly available, national, GIS data layers to fully parameterize, execute, and visualize results from both the SWAT and KINEROS2. Through an intuitive interface the user selects an outlet from which AGWA delineates and discretizes the watershed using a Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The watershed model elements are then intersected with soils and land cover data layers to derive the requisite model input parameters. The chosen model is then run, and the results are imported back into AGWA for visual display. This allows managers to identify potential problem areas where additional monitoring can be undertaken or mitigation activities can be focused. AGWA can difference results from multiple simulations to examine relative change over a variety of input scenarios (e.g. climate/storm change, land cover change, present conditions and alternative futures). AGWA 2.0 for ArcGIS 9.x is being released at the 2007 AWRA Annual Conference in Albuquerque, NM November 12-15, 2007. With the AGWA 2.0 release for ArcGIS 9.x and the existing AGWA 1.5 for ArcView 3.x, AGWA now reaches an even wider audience. AGWA 2.0 utilizes new features in ArcGIS 9.x that are not available in ArcView 3.x to make the tool more powerful, flexible, and easier to use than AGWA 1.5.
URLs/Downloads:
agwa_manual_2-0.pdfKEPNER 07-142 AGWA_MANUAL_2-0.PDF (PDF, NA pp, 2935 KB, about PDF)