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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fort Collins, Colorado » Center for Agricultural Resources Research » Water Management and Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317650
Title: A component-based, integrated spatially distributed hydrologic/water quality model: AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) overview and application

Author
item Ascough Ii, James
item Green, Timothy
item DAVID, OLAF - Colorad0 State University
item KIPKA, HOLM - Colorad0 State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2015
Publication Date: 6/22/2015
Citation: Ascough II, J.C., T.R. Green, O. David, and H. Kipka. 2015. A Component-Based, Integrated Spatially Distributed Hydrologic/Water Quality Model: AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) Overview and Application. In: Maxwell, R., Hill, M., Zheng, C. and Tonkin, M. (Eds.), Proc. MODFLOW and More 2015: Modeling a Complex World, May 31-June 3, 2015, Integrated Groundwater Modeling Center, Boulder, Colorado. pp. 1-5.

Interpretive Summary: AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) is a modular, Java-based spatially distributed model which implements hydrologic/water quality simulation components. AgES-W was previously evaluated for streamflow and recently has been enhanced with the addition of nitrogen (N) and sediment modeling components refactored from various agroecosystem models. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of the enhanced AgES-W model for uncalibrated estimation of streamflow and N/sediment loading. The Upper Cedar Creek Watershed (CCW) in northeastern Indiana, USA was selected for model application. AgES-W model performance was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (ENS) and percent bias (PBIAS) model evaluation criteria. Comparisons of simulated and observed average monthly streamflow, average monthly N loading, and daily sediment load for different simulation periods resulted in ENS and PBIAS values that were within the range of those reported in the literature for SWAT model streamflow and N/sediment loading predictions at a similar scale and time step. Considering that AgES-W was applied without calibration, study results indicate that the model reasonably reproduced the hydrological, N, and sediment dynamics of the Upper CCW.

Technical Abstract: AgroEcoSystem-Watershed (AgES-W) is a modular, Java-based spatially distributed model which implements hydrologic/water quality simulation components. The AgES-W model was previously evaluated for streamflow and recently has been enhanced with the addition of nitrogen (N) and sediment modeling components refactored from various agroecosystem models including SWAT, WEPP, and RZWQM2. The specific objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of the enhanced AgES-W model for uncalibrated estimation of streamflow and N/sediment loading. The Upper Cedar Creek Watershed (CCW) in northeastern Indiana, USA was selected for model application. AgES-W model performance was assessed using Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (ENS) and percent bias (PBIAS) model evaluation criteria. Comparisons of simulated and observed average monthly streamflow, average monthly N loading, and daily sediment load for different simulation periods resulted in ENS and PBIAS values that were within the range of those reported in the literature for SWAT streamflow and N/sediment loading predictions at a similar scale and time step. Considering that AgES-W was applied without calibration, study results indicate that the model reasonably reproduced the hydrological, N, and sediment dynamics of the Upper CCW and should serve as a foundation upon which to better quantify additional water quality indicators (e.g., phosphorus dynamics) at the watershed scale.