Technical Abstract: In this study, we evaluated the water quality effects of alternative conservation practice scenarios using the SWAT model in the Little River Experimental Watershed (LREW), a representative coastal plain watershed located in southern Georgia. We simulated the water quality effect of two suites of upland conservation practices (CPs) – one targeting erosion and the other targeting nutrients. We also simulated the impact of riparian forest buffers. Finally, we evaluated three different management scenarios for implementing the upland CPs – using a random approach, using subwatershed stream order as a prioritization criterion, and using subwatershed nonpoint source pollutant load as a prioritization criterion. The study indicates that implementing CPs in subwatersheds with the largest nonpoint source pollution loads results in the most rapid water quality improvements. Prioritizing CPs based upon nonpoint source pollutant load yields greater (nonlinear) improvements when CPs are introduced on the subwatersheds with the greatest nonpoint source pollution while the other implementation schemes yield linear returns. The suite of CPs targeting erosion resulted in the greatest reductions of sediment and total phosphorus from upland crop areas. The suite of CPs targeting nutrient reduction resulted in the greatest total nitrogen reductions. Overall, riparian forest buffers offered the most comprehensive reduction of nonpoint source pollutant loads. Simulation results indicate that the current level of riparian forest cover in the LREW may be the single greatest contributor to nonpoint source pollutant reduction.