Mission:
The mission of the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory (SEWRL) is to develop the scientific understanding and associated technologies of watershed systems essential to maintaining/enhancing the environmental and natural resource base upon which a viable, sustainable, and productive agricultural economy depends. The focus of the Laboratory is primarily on the Coastal Plain region of the southeastern U.S., a region with low-gradient drainage systems and extensive near stream riparian areas. Specific objectives are to develop: (a) conceptual understanding of responses in natural resource and environmental systems based on physical, chemical, and biological processes; (b) methodologies to direct optimal use of soil and water resources in the production of quality food and fiber while maintaining short-and-long term productivity requirements, ecosystem stability, and environmental quality; (c) sustainable strategies for the management of weed, disease, and arthropod pests of agronomic and vegetable crops while minimizing the effects of agricultural chemicals on the environment and public health; and (d) development and application of models and information based systems to guide responsible management decisions for action and regulatory agencies at field, farm, and watershed scales.