2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) 1) Integrate the WEPP and WEPS model erosion technologies through the use of the Object Modeling System (OMS) into a single wind/water erosion prediction system using common databases and interfaces at the plot and field scale.. 2)Incorporate, test and verify new erosion science or related components, such as winter processes, tillage erosion, ephemeral gully erosion, irrigation erosion and rangeland erosion, into the integrated erosion prediction system.. 3) Cooperate with all ARS scientists and NRCS staff involved with the CEAP effort to extract relevant modules from existing models such as SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool), RUSLE2 (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation – version 2), AnnAGNPS (Annualized AGricultural Non-Point Source pollution), CONCEPTS (CONservational Channel Evolution and Pollutant Transport System), WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project), WEPS (Wind Erosion Prediction System), and REMM (Riparian Ecosystem Management Model) and integrate them into the OMS for development of regional water and air quality models at the plot, field, and watershed scales. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Objective 1: a) Incorporate the core WEPP model erosion component into the Object Modeling System, test and verify against the original WEPP model. b) Develop a single storm hydrology and water erosion model in OMS, then adapt model in OMS to handle temporal (multiple storms) and spatial (multiple flow planes) looping. c) Develop a continuous simulation water erosion model in OMS containing infiltration, ET, percolation, water balance, surface runoff routing, and water erosion calculations (multiple storms and multiple spatial planes). d) Create a single event wind detachment component in OMS based upon the core WEPS erosion code. Test and verify against the original WEPS code. e) Create a single event combined wind and water erosion model in OMS, using the individual water and wind modules. f) Merge wind detachment component into continuous simulation OMS water erosion model. g) Add other required components needed for a complete prediction system, including climate generation, plant growth, tillage disturbance, residue management, baseline hydrologic, and erodibility parameterization, etc. h) Test, verify, and validate modules and models. i) Work with NRCS and other users on interface and database development. Objective 2: a) Develop detailed guidelines and instructions for cooperators on formats needed for new components to be incorporated within OMS for inclusion in combined wind and water model, or as special model applications using existing modules from the combined model. b) Work with ARS and university cooperators on testing, verifying, and validating new component modules within OMS. c) Incorporate, test, and verify new erosion science or related components, such as winter processes, tillage erosion, ephemeral gully erosion, irrigation erosion and rangeland erosion, into the integrated erosion prediction system. Objective 3: This effort is a part of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Objective 5 which deals with development of regionalized watershed models for assessment of the impacts of field soil conservation practices on off-site resources (water, air, etc.). Hillslope and field components developed in Objectives 1 and 2 may be utilized within larger regionalized models. Alternately, due to much larger scale representations and more coarse process conceptualization, use of simpler types of erosion functions may also be warranted and necessary. CEAP-Objective 5 work is being led by staff in ASRU in Fort Collins, CO. 3.Progress Report During the first 9 months of this new project, major activities focused on a winter erosion processes and modeling meeting with cooperating scientists and user agency staff, as well as integration of Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) hydrology and water erosion prediction code within the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) model. On May 1-3, 2007, nineteen scientists from several ARS locations and universities and several NRCS and FS users participated in a “Winter Erosion Processes and Modeling Meeting” held at the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory in West Lafayette, IN. Better understanding of the state-of-the-science and needed research and modeling efforts was gained by the participants, and cooperative efforts were planned. Also in 2007, substantial efforts were devoted to incorporation of WEPP hydrology and water erosion components into the WEPS model, as an alternative to an Object Modeling System (OMS) based common wind and water erosion system. All necessary code logic has been inserted, but verification and testing of the runoff and water erosion output from the merged code is continuing. Progress on the OMS wind and water erosion model code has been slow during this period, largely due to delays in upgrades to the OMS system, and inability of user agency staff to arrange meetings to develop model user requirements document and initial design requirements for system. Some progress has been made on assembling input validation test sets for the OMS water erosion model with ARS cooperators in Georgia (Truman) and Colorado (Ascough). Dr. Flanagan participated in an OMS Review workshop and upgraded OMS version training workshop during September, 2007 in Ft. Collins, CO. An oral presentation on the common wind and water erosion modeling work was presented at the 2007 American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers Meeting in Minneapolis, MN on June 17-20. An oral presentation on erosion prediction technology development in the United States was presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria on April 16-20, 2007. 4.Accomplishments Winter erosion processes and modeling meeting. As called for in the project plan, a meeting with ARS and cooperating university scientists and user agency representatives on winter hydrology and erosion processes was held May 1-2, 2007 at the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory (NSERL). Nineteen people were in attendance, including the NRCS National Agronomist. Information on the state of the current science and prediction models (for both wind erosion and water erosion) as affected by cold weather processes was shared, and plans for cooperative research and modeling efforts made. This area is one that is critically important in significantly improving ARS erosion prediction models. Detailed information from the meeting is available at the URL: http://topsoil.nserl.purdue.edu/~flanagan/wintermtg/. This accomplishment addresses National Program 201 Water Resource Management – Problem Area 5 – Integrated Erosion and Sedimentation Technologies, and Problem Area 1 – Effectiveness of Conservation Practices. 5.Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations None. 6.Technology Transfer Number of web sites managed 4 Number of non-peer reviewed presentations and proceedings 4 Review Publications Zheng, J., He, X., Walling, D., Zhang, X., Flanagan, D.C., Qi, Y. 2007. Assessing Soil Erosion Rates on Manually-tilled Hillslopes in the Sichuan Hilly Basin Using 137Cs and 210Pbex Radionuclides. Pedosphere. 17(3):273-283. Pieri, L., Bittelli, M., Wu, J.Q., Dun, S., Flanagan, D.C., Pisa, P.R., Ventura, F., Salvatorelli, F. 2007. Using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model to simulate field-observed runoff and erosion in the Apennines Mountain Range, Italy. Journal of Hydrology. (2007) 336:84-97.