Grantee Research Project Results
1998 Progress Report: Modeling Effects of Alternative Landscape Design and Management on Water Quality and Biodiversity in Midwest Agricultural Watersheds
EPA Grant Number: R825335Title: Modeling Effects of Alternative Landscape Design and Management on Water Quality and Biodiversity in Midwest Agricultural Watersheds
Investigators: Santelmann, Mary
Institution: Oregon State University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 1, 1997 through December 31, 1999 (Extended to December 31, 2000)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 1997 through December 31, 1998
Project Amount: $1,228,521
RFA: Water and Watersheds Research (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Water
Objective:
The objectives are to: (1) generate designed alternative future scenarios that explore a range of human land use and management choices for watersheds in the cornbelt region of the United States; (2) develop and calibrate models to evaluate alternative future scenarios and comparison of potential impacts of future change on water quality, biodiversity, and human perceptions of the landscape; (3) evaluate scenarios using models developed and/or calibrated for these watersheds; and (4) summarize these results in an integrative assessment and publication of individual results in peer-reviewed literature appropriate to each field.Progress Summary:
In 1997, the first goal (scenario development) was accomplished and substantial progress was made towards the second goal (model development and calibration). In 1998, the scenario designs were translated into digital data consisting of Geographic Information System (GIS) coverages for the watersheds that are then overlain into the three primary future scenarios for each watershed.
Continued database development and review has been an important activity for all teams this year. Generation of the spatial component for input into the models (from maps to GIS coverages) by E&S Environmental Chemistry, Inc., and quality assurance review of the individual components of the coverages (agricultural matrix, riparian buffers, biodiversity reserves, streams, and ephemeral stream channels) by the OSU research team have required substantial time and effort beyond our original estimate. The additional effort has been required owing to the high degree of resolution and detail in the designs, and the nature of the designs as comprised of interchangeable components that can be used in different combinations. However, the coverages are now complete with adequate time remaining in 1999 to complete modeling and evaluation of the future scenarios and the integrative assessment.
Species-habitat matrices for nonfish vertebrates of central Iowa were generated by H. Rustigian and J. Sifneos of the OSU biodiversity team and sent out for expert review. Kathryn Freemark and B. Danielson conducted the expert review process in which reviewers grouped land cover classes, and revised and edited the matrices to reflect current knowledge of species' use of different habitat classes in the agricultural Midwest. Dr. Diane Debinski, a collaborator at Iowa State University, generated a similar matrix for butterflies, and M. Santelmann is producing the species-habitat matrix for plants. Also in 1998, data were acquired from Buck Creek watershed for calibration of water quality models to be used in scenario evaluation. Efforts were begun to calibrate the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) economic simulator model for these watersheds and future scenarios. At our all-project meeting (July 1998), we shared results of preliminary model runs on current land cover and first drafts of future scenarios. Methods and comparability of modeled results were discussed, collaboration was facilitated among investigators, and plans for publications from the project were outlined. Communication continues among investigators with an electronic newsletter, project meetings (April 1998 and July 1998), and onsite visits by Santelmann and Freemark to Minnesota, Oregon, and Iowa.
Future Activities:
Modeling of the future alternative scenarios in contrast to the current land use and management practices in these watersheds will continue in 1999, with sensitivity analyses and further calibration of the models as data become available. Generation of publications and presentations stemming from this research will be a continued focus of efforts in the coming year, particularly in the latter half of 1999.Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 23 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
future scenarios, agricultural watersheds, spatially explicit models, biodiversity, water quality, human perceptions., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Water & Watershed, Midwest, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, exploratory research environmental biology, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Economics, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecological Indicators, Watersheds, ecological exposure, risk assessment, aquatic, water resources, Iowa, biodiversity, alternative urbanization scenarios, landscape units, predictive understanding, soil sediment, valuation of watersheds, ecological modeling, agricultural watershed, runoff, sediment transport, terrestrial ecosystems, modeling, agricultural watersheds, availability of water resources, biota diversity, transport models, water quality, alternative landscape design, aquatic ecosystems, lawn care practices, IA, species habitat matrices, design criteria, ecology assessment models, water management options, aquatic biota, forecasting, land useRelevant Websites:
http://bufo.geo.orst.edu/tc/firma/ip/Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.