| Title: | Assessing the difference between Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) simulated pre-development and observed developed loading regimes |
| Authors: | Zeiger, S.J. and J.A. Hubbart |
| Year: | 2018 |
| Journal: | Hydrology |
| Volume (Issue): | 5(2) |
| Pages: | |
| Article ID: | 29 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/hydrology5020029 |
| URL (non-DOI journals): | |
| Model: | SWAT |
| Broad Application Category: | hydrologic and pollutant |
| Primary Application Category: | land use change assessment |
| Secondary Application Category: | pollutant cycling/loss and transport |
| Watershed Description: | 220 km^2 Hinkson Creek, which is a tributary of the lower Missouri River system located in north central Missouri, U.S. |
| Calibration Summary: | |
| Validation Summary: | |
| General Comments: | |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this research was to assess the difference between Soil and Water
Assessment Tool (SWAT) simulated pre-development and contemporary developed loading regimes
in a mixed-land-use watershed of the central United States (US). Native land cover based on
soil characteristics was used to simulate pre-development loading regimes using The Soil and
Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Loading targets were calculated for each major element of a
pre-development loading regime. Simulated pre-development conditions were associated with
increased retention and decreased export of sediment and nutrients when compared to observed
developed conditions. Differences between simulated pre-development and observed developed
maximum daily yields (loads per unit area) of suspended sediment (SS), total phosphorus (TP),
and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) ranged from 35.7 to 59.6 Mg/km2 (SS); 23.3 to 52.5 kg/km2 (TP);
and, 113.2 to 200.8 kg/km2 (TIN), respectively. Average annual maximum daily load was less
during simulated pre-development conditions when compared to observed developed conditions
by ranges of 1307 to 6452 Mg/day1 (SS), 0.8 to 5.4 kg/day1 (TP), and 4.9 to 26.9 kg/day1 (TIN),
respectively. Hydrologic modeling results indicated that the differences in annual maximum daily
load were causally linked to land use and land cover influence on sediment and nutrient loading.
The differences between SWAT simulated pre-development and observed contemporary loading
regimes from this study point to a need for practical loading targets that support contemporary
management and integrated flow and pollutant loading regimes. |
| Language: | English |
| Keywords: | sediment; nitrogen; phosphorus; ecohydrology; pre-settlement; SWAT |