Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322808
Title: Evaluation of water quality and best management practices (BMPs) in the Black Creek Watershed using SWAT model

Author
item CHAZANFARPOUR, NAYEREH - University Of Missouri
item Baffaut, Claire
item BROZ, ROBERT - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Annual International SWAT Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/7/2015
Publication Date: 10/14/2015
Citation: Chazanfarpour, N., Baffaut, C., Broz, R. 2015. Evaluation of water quality and best management practices (BMPs) in the Black Creek Watershed using SWAT model. Annual International SWAT Conference, October 12-16, 2015, West Lafayette, Indiana. Available: http://swat.tamu.edu/media/115047/g1-ghazanfarpour.pdf.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nonpoint sources of runoff from agricultural lands are believed to be responsible for elevated nutrient and sediment levels in the Black Creek Watershed (BCW). This watershed located in Shelby County in Northeast Missouri covers an area of 140 km2. The purpose of this project was to quantify sediment and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) losses, identify and prioritize critical sub-watersheds for land management, and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative best management practices (BMPs) for reducing pollutant loads from 19 subwatersheds within the BCW using SWAT. Measurements of stream flow and water quality recorded by the Agricultural Research Service and the US Geological Survey were used for model calibration (2005-2008) and validation (2009-2010). Nine types of BMPs were simulated in the 10 subwatersheds with the highest baseline loadings. No-till, nutrient management, terraces, filter strips, winter cover crops, and reduced tillage were simulated on all the crop land. Inter-seeding was simulated on pasture land, woodland protection from grazing was simulated on woodland, and stream exclusion from grazing was simulated on both pastures and woodland. Results showed that average losses of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment without BMPs were 17.3, 3.23 kg/ha/yr and 1.71 ton/ha/yr, respectively. Filter strips and terracing provided the highest sediment load reduction, 48.5% and 44.6%, respectively. The highest nitrogen load reduction was obtained with annual rye (25% reduction), oats (24%) and cereal rye (22%) cover crops. Filter strips provided the highest phosphorus load reduction (38%). Results were used by local and state agencies to develop a watershed management plan for BCW.