Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory Site Logo
ARS Home About Us Helptop nav spacerContact Us En Espanoltop nav spacer
Printable VersionPrintable Version     E-mail this pageE-mail this page
Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture
Search
  Advanced Search
 
Programs and Projects
Subjects of Investigation
ALMANAC Simulation Model
ALMANAC Applications
Hydrologic Data
Rangeland Research
Poultry Litter Application
Wheat Study 2003
Corn Fertility Study
Impact of Biological Control Agents on Musk Thistle Populations
MANAGE Nutrient Loss Database
Hydrologic Data Collection and Water Quality Sampling
Reprints Relevant to ALMANAC
Almanac Switchgrass
ALMANAC - Forestry Simulation
ALMANAC - Switchgrass Field Research Simulation
ALMANAC -Biofuel grass nutrient cycling
ALMANAC - Rangeland CEAP
Publications on Riesel Data and History
US Climatic Data
Hydrologic Data
Models
Atmospheric CO2 Research Group
 

Research Project: DEVELOPMENT OF MODELS AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES FOR WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS

Location: Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory

Title: Evaluating potential phosphorus management impacts in the Lake Eucha Basin using SWAT

Authors
item White, Michael
item Storm, Daniel -
item Busteed, Philip -
item Matlock, Marty -
item West, Ray -

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: April 18, 2011
Publication Date: May 15, 2011
Citation: White, M.J., Storm, D.E., Busteed, P.R., Matlock, M.D., West, R.R. 2011. Evaluating potential phosphorus management impacts in the Lake Eucha Basin using SWAT. Transactions of the ASABE. 54(3):827-835.

Interpretive Summary: Lake Eucha is an important drinking water supply for the City of Tulsa. Water quality in the lake has been degraded by municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent and the application of poultry litter as a fertilizer within the basin. Litigation by the City of Tulsa Litigation has forced policy changes with little knowledge of the impact on water quality. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to evaluate the effect of various nutrient management scenarios, and identify strategies to meet newly established water quality standards for the lake.

Technical Abstract: Lake Eucha is a nexus of water quality conflicts between agribusiness and environmentalists, urban and rural stakeholders, municipalities and state governments. Lake Eucha is a drinking water supply reservoir for the City of Tulsa, declining water quality has been attributed to both municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent and the application of poultry litter as a fertilizer within the basin. Litigation has forced policy changes in the basin with little knowledge of their eventual impact on water quality. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to evaluate the effect of various nutrient management scenarios on nutrient loads to Lake Eucha. The model was calibrated for streamflow, total phosphorus, and nitrates using a complex shuffled evolution approach on a 75 GHz computer cluster. SWAT was used to predict phosphorus loads to Lake Eucha under differing levels of poultry litter export from the area, municipal waste discharge, and soil test phosphorus. Reducing municipal waste discharge was the most effective scenario. Litter application, cultivated fields, and overgrazed pastures were the most significant nonpoint source contributors. These predictions were coupled with in lake water quality standards to evaluate management changes required to return Lake Eucha to mesotrophic conditions. Data generated by the SWAT model was used to develop a publically accessible decision support system to allow policymakers and stakeholders to evaluate the impact of various scenarios. The use of watershed models for the assessment of potential management scenarios allows policy makers to make more informed water quality management decisions.

   

 
Project Team
Arnold, Jeffrey
Kiniry, James
White, Michael
Harmel, Daren
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Climate Change, Soils, and Emissions (212)
  Water Availability and Water Management (211)
 
 
Last Modified: 05/25/2013
ARS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Policies and Links 
FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Nondiscrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | White House