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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #425198
Research Project: Assessment of Sediment and Chemical Transport Processes for Developing and Improving Agricultural Conservation Practices

Location: National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory

Title: Upscaling WEPP model to project spatial variability of soil erosion in agricultural-dominant watershed, India

Author
item VIJAYALAKSHMI, SULIAMMAL - Indian Institute Of Science
item DASIKA, NAGESH - Indian Institute Of Science
item Yen, Haw
item WINCZEWSKI, AUBREY - Purdue University
item Flanagan, Dennis
item Renschler, Christian
item ENGEL, BERNARD - Purdue University

Submitted to: Water
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2026
Publication Date: 3/22/2026
Citation: Vijayalakshmi, S.P., Dasika, N.K., Yen, H., Winczewski, A.K., Flanagan, D.C., Renschler, C.S., Engel, B.A. 2026. Upscaling WEPP model to project spatial variability of soil erosion in agricultural-dominant watershed, India. Water. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18060744.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w18060744

Interpretive Summary: Problems caused by land use, land cover, and weather on flow and sediment are well-known. Crop production, water quality, and food concerns will also be affected. The key factors are structure planning and management in the field. The major work of this research is to evaluate the relationship between land use, land cover, and weather from 2000 to 2025. In case studies, an erosion model was used with a geospatial interface. Based on the results, flow and sediment were considerably affected by land use and land cover. However, it is not as important to see the same effect from weather data. In summary, solutions in this work increase conservation efficiency in agriculture.

Technical Abstract: The impact of Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change and Weather Pattern Variabilities (WPV) on runoff and sediment yield (SY) is a critical global issue, significantly influencing agricultural productivity, water quality, and food security. Separating the contributions of these factors is vital for effective infrastructure planning, best management practices, water resource management, etc. The key work is to analyze LULC dynamics and WPV from 2000 – present year, project changes for 2030, and to quantitatively evaluate the individual and combined effects of LULC and WPV on runoff and SY over the specified period in an agricultural dominant watershed in Karnataka, India using WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model and its Geospatial interface (GeoWEPP) to estimate event-based runoff and SY and simulate alternative scenarios for soil erosion control beyond structural measures. The WEPP model serves as a robust tool for quantifying the impact of anthropogenic disturbances in land management practices, including crop type, tillage, and irrigation strategies, on soil erosion dynamics from hillslope to watershed scale. The findings reveal that both LULC and WPV significantly affect runoff and SY, but the influence of LULC changes is more pronounced, particularly in terms of SY. Although climate variables have contributed to runoff and SY variations since 2000, the effects of WPV were overshadowed by the dominant impact of LULC. Projection results presented for the year 2030 indicate an increase in runoff to 100.13 mm and SY to 3.97 t/ha/yr. When we calculate the percentage of increase from 2000 to the future, runoff increases by 14.69% and the SY increases by 49.23%. The study further identifies and proposes best management practices aimed at mitigating soil loss through modifications in agricultural practices. These solutions prioritize cost efficiency, economic feasibility, adaptability, and ease of implementation, offering a sustainable and practical approach to soil conservation.