SWAT Literature Database for Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Title:Spatio-temporal impacts of biofuel production and climate variability on water quantity and quality in Upper Mississippi River Basin 
Authors:Deb, D., P. Tuppad, P. Daggupati, R. Srinivasan and D. Varma 
Year:2015 
Journal:Water 
Volume (Issue):7(4) 
Pages:3283-3305 
Article ID: 
DOI:10.3390/w7073283 
URL (non-DOI journals): 
Model:SWAT 
Broad Application Category:hydrologic and pollutant 
Primary Application Category:bioenergy crop, tree and/or vegetation assessment 
Secondary Application Category:pollutant cycling/loss and transport 
Watershed Description:492,098 km^2 Upper Mississippi River, which drains portions of eight states in the north central U.S. 
Calibration Summary: 
Validation Summary: 
General Comments: 
Abstract:Impact of climate change on the water resources of the United States exposes the vulnerability of feedstock-specific mandated fuel targets to extreme weather conditions that could become more frequent and intensify in the future. Consequently, a sustainable biofuel policy should consider: (a) how climate change would alter both water supply and demand; and (b) in turn, how related changes in water availability will impact the production of biofuel crops; and (c) the environmental implications of large scale biofuel productions. Understanding the role of biofuels in the water cycle is the key to understanding many of the environmental impacts of biofuels. Therefore, the focus of this study is to model the rarely explored interactions between land use, climate change, water resources and the environment in future biofuel production systems. Results from this study will help explore the impacts of the US biofuel policy and climate change on water and agricultural resources. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to analyze the water quantity and quality consequences of land use and land management related changes in cropping conditions (e.g., more use of marginal lands, greater residue harvest, increased yields), plus management practices due to biofuel crops to meet the Renewable Fuel Standard target on water quality and quantity. 
Language:English 
Keywords:biofuel; water quality; Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)