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ARS Benchmark Watershed Studies
About the Studies
In 14 benchmark watersheds, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
is conducting in-depth studies that will help to validate physical-process models used for the National Assessment
component of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP). ARS has been
conducting research on most of the 14 benchmark watersheds for a considerable period of time and anticipates
that research and assessments in these watershed will be continued over many years.
ARS is also conducting research for CEAP in most of the Special Emphasis Watersheds
selected by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to address
specific resource concerns such as manure management from animal feeding operations and water use and conservation
on irrigated cropland.
USDA-ARS CEAP Watershed Assessment Study Annual Meeting
Principal scientific
investigators from each of the USDA-ARS watersheds meet annually with
other CEAP scientists to share technical reports and other information
from the 14 ARS Benchmark Watershed studies and other relevant
research.
2006 Annual Meeting
2005 Annual Meeting
ARS CEAP Research
These documents requireAdobe Acrobat, or
Microsoft Powerpoint.
ARS Watershed Assessment Study Plan, October 2004 (4 MB)
The ARS CEAP plan describes the five specific research objectives and plans of the first
five years of what is expected to be a much longer project. The objectives are:
- Develop and implement a web-based data system to organize, document, manipulate,
and compile climate, water, soil, land-management, and socioeconomic data from ARS research
watersheds for assessment of conservation practices and other hydrologic analyses.
The system is called STEWARDS: Sustaining the Earth’s Watersheds, Agricultural Research
Data System.
- Measure and quantify water quality, water quantity, soil quality, and ecosystem effects
of conservation practices at the watershed scale in a variety of hydrologic and agronomic
settings.
- Validate models and quantify uncertainties of model predictions at multiple scales by
comparing predictions of water quality to measured water, soil and land management effects
of conservation practices.
- Develop and apply policy-planning tools to aid selection and placement of conservation
practices to optimize profits, environmental quality, and conservation practice efficiency.
- Develop and verify regional watershed models that quantify environmental outcomes of
conservation practices in major agricultural regions.
In addition, ARS will provide quality assurance/quality control
guidelines for methods and procedures to be used for data collection and
analysis in the benchmark watersheds.
Watersheds
The Current Research Information System (CRIS) is USDA's documentation and
reporting system for ongoing and recently completed research and education
projects.
These documents may require
Adobe Acrobat, or
Microsoft Powerpoint.
Benchmark Watersheds | Location |
Beasley Lake
Fact Sheet
Poster
Beasley Lake Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (1.8 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
|
Mississippi |
Choptank River
Choptank River Watershed Project Overview, June 2007 (1.3 MB)
Using Remote Sensing to Describe Nutrient Uptake by Cover Crops on Maryland's Eastern Shore, June 2007 (0.4 MB)
Innovative Tools for Mapping Forested Wetlands in the Choptank River Watershed, May 2007 (0.7 MB)
|
Maryland |
Goodwin Creek
Fact Sheet
Poster
Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (2.0 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
CRIS summary
|
Mississippi |
Leon River
Fact Sheet
Poster
CEAP Data Collection in the Upper Leon River Watershed, Texas, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (0.3 MB)
CEAP Monitoring Activies in the Upper Leon River Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (2.5 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
|
Texas |
Little River
Fact Sheet
Poster
Hydrologic Impacts of Land-Use Changes in Coastal Plain Watersheds, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (0.1 MB)
Litter River Experimental Watershed Water Quality Record: The First Three Decades, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (0.4 MB)
Little River Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (3.4 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
CRIS summary
|
Georgia |
North Walnut Creek
Fact Sheet
Poster
Application of the AnnAGNPS Model to the Walnut Creek, Iowa CEAP Benchmark Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (0.1 MB)
Modification & Application of SWAT to Landscapes with Subsurface Tiles and Enclosed Depressions (Potholes) as Applied to Walnut Creek Watershed, IA, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (4.0 MB)
Walnut Creek Watershed: CEAP Plans and Progress, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (0.3 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
|
Iowa |
St. Joseph River
Fact Sheet
Poster
Press Release (Jan. 30, 2006)
St. Joseph River CEAP Watershed Update, May 2005 (3.1 MB)
CEAP Workshop Report: St. Joseph River Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (2.1 MB)
St. Joseph Watershed Project: CEAP and ARS Funding Overview, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (2.0 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
CRIS summary
|
Indiana |
Salt River / Mark Twain
Fact Sheet
Poster
Mark Twain Lake - Salt River CEAP, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (1.0 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
CRIS summary
|
Missouri |
South Fork of the Iowa River
Fact Sheet
Poster
Conservation Practices and Water Quality in
Iowa’s South Fork Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (13.7 MB)
SWAT2005: Geo-referenced Tile Flow and Pothole Component
Application to the South Fork of the Iowa River, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, May 2006 (0.9 MB)
Water Quality and Conservation Practices, USDA-CSREES National Water Quality Conference, February 2006 (1 MB)
Assessing Soil Fertility, SWCS Annual Conference, July 2005 (0.9 MB)
Movement and Survival of Fecal Contaminant Indicators, SWCS Annual Conference, July 2005 (0.3 MB)
South Fork of the Iowa River Watershed: Status of CEAP Research, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (1.3 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
|
Iowa |
Town Brook
Fact Sheet
Poster
Town Brook/Cannonsville Reservoir Watersheds - A CEAP Watershed Assessment Study Contribution, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (15.0 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
|
New York |
Upper Big Walnut Creek
Fact Sheet
Poster
Upper Big Walnut Creek Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (1.4 MB)
Upper Big Walnut Watershed: A Conjoint Analysis of Local Opinion Towards Water Quality, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (0.1 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
CRIS summary
|
Ohio |
Upper Washita River
Fact Sheet
Poster
USGS Project--Sources and Impacts of Nutrients, January 2006
Watershed Assessment Study: Upper Washita River Subwatersheds, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (12.6 MB)
Watershed Description
CRIS summary
CRIS summary
|
Oklahoma |
Yalobusha River
Fact Sheet
Poster
Yalobusha River Watershed, CEAP-ARS Watershed Assessment annual meeting, March 2005 (0.8 MB)
Watershed Description |
Mississippi |
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